RESUMO -Em experimentos de desempenho e metabolismo, avaliaram-se os efeitos do fornecimento de rações com níveis reduzidos de proteína bruta, cálcio e fósforo disponível sobre o desempenho, as características de carcaça, o conteúdo de cinzas na tíbia, o balanço e a retenção de nitrogênio e fósforo de frangos de corte nos períodos de 8 a 21 e 8 a 35 dias de idade. Em cada uma destas fases no ensaio de desempenho, foram utilizadas 30 e 25 aves por unidade experimental e, no ensaio de metabolismo, cinco e três aves, respectivamente, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com seis repetições. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de rações com 21% proteína bruta sem fitase (controle), formuladas com níveis nutricionais recomendados nas tabelas brasileiras, e rações com 21, 20, 19 e 18% de proteína bruta com fitase (8 a 21 dias) e, no período de 8 a 35 dias, ração com 20% proteína bruta sem fitase (controle), e rações com 20, 19, 18 e 17% de proteína bruta, com fitase. Treatments consisted of diet with 21% crude protein without phytase (control), formulated with nutritional levels recommended on the Brazilian tables, and diets with 21, 20, 19 and 18% crude protein with phytase (8 to 21 days) and from 8 to 35 days, the control diet had 20% crude protein without phytase (control), and others diets with 20, 19, 18, 17% crude protein, with phytase.In the diets with phytase (80 g of Ronozyme NP(M) phytase per ton of diet), the level of available phosphorus was reduced in 0.15 and the calcium in 0.30 percentage points in relation to the control diet. No effect was observed with the reduction of nutrients on feed intake, weight gain, or feed conversion in either phase or for the study of carcass characteristics to the 35 days. However, higher abdominal fat percentage was observed when the broilers were fed diet with lower protein level. The excretion of nitrogen and phosphorus decreased when birds received diets with reduced levels of these nutrients. Ash percentage in the tibia was not influenced by treatments. It is possible to reduce protein level, available phosphorus, and calcium of the diets in up to 3, 0.15 and 0.30 percentage points when the diets are supplemented with phytase and amino acids, respectively.