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Pathological calcification generally consists of the formation of solid deposits of hydroxyapatite (calcium phosphate) in soft tissues. Supersaturation is the thermodynamic driving force for crystallization, so it is believed that higher blood levels of calcium and phosphate increase the risk of cardiovascular calcification. However several factors can promote or inhibit the natural process of pathological calcification. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between physiological levels of urinary phytate and heart valve calcification in a population of elderly out subjects. A population of 188 elderly subjects (mean age: 68 years) was studied. Valve calcification was measured by echocardiography. Phytate determination was performed from a urine sample and data on blood chemistry, end-systolic volume, concomitant diseases, cardiovascular risk factors, medication usage and food were obtained. The study population was classified in three tertiles according to level of urinary phytate: low (1.21 mu M). Subjects with higher levels of urinary phytate had less mitral annulus calcification and were less likely to have diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. In the multivariate analysis, age, serum phosphorous, leukocytes total count and urinary phytate excretion appeared as independent factors predictive of presence of mitral annulus calcification. There was an inverse correlation between urinary phytate content and mitral annulus calcification in our population of elderly out subjects. These results suggest that consumption of phytate-rich foods may help to prevent cardiovascular calcification evolution., This work was supported by grant PI14/00853 from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Gobierno de Espana), and by FEDER funds (European Union). JP expresses his appreciation to Ministerio de Educacion y Cultura (Gobierno de Espana) for the fellowship of the FPU program. BI expresses his appreciation to the Conselleria d'Innovacio i Energia del (Govern de les Illes Balears) for the doctoral fellowship. PS express her appreciation for the postdoctoral fellowship PD/009/2013 to the Conselleria de Educacio, Cultura i Universitats (Govern de les Illes Balears) and the European Social Fund through the ESF Operational Programme of the Balearic Islands 2013-2017.