Phosphorus does an impressive amount of work. It protects cell function by acting as part of a barrier—the cell membrane—that separates what’s inside cells from their environment, as well as regulating what moves in and out of cells. It participates in the inner workings of cells as part of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA that store and transmit genetic information.*

Phosphorus is also part of a compound that binds to hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell responsible for transporting oxygen to cells. It assists in muscle contraction, regular heart rhythm, and in helping nerve cells communicate with each other.