The nutrition of manChittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Science
The nutrition of man
Chittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Nutrition
We may reasonably suppose that the reserve of proteid present in the
body is contained in the fluid media, and not as a part of the living
protoplasm. Further, we are apparently justified in the belief that
the sole form of proteid katabolism which is vitally important for the
welfare of the body is the endogenous katabolism. This must be provided
for adequately and indeed liberally, and in addition there should be
sufficient intake to keep up an abundant supply of reserve proteid, but
beyond these necessities there would seem to be no legitimate demand
for additional proteid. The voluminous exogenous proteid katabolism so
conspicuous in most individuals would seem to have no justification
in fact, or in physiological reasoning. What good, for example, can
be accomplished by this constant splitting off of nitrogen, with its
subsequent speedy removal from the body? The organism can neither use
it nor store it up, and why therefore should this daily burden of an
excessive and accelerated proteid katabolism be borne? As we have seen,
the energy of muscle work is derived mainly, and can come wholly, from
the breaking down of non-nitrogenous materials, fats and carbohydrates.
The very fact that an intake of say 120 grams of proteid is followed
at once by the removal of the larger part of the contained nitrogen,
as a result of the exogenous katabolism of the body, would seemingly
warrant the view that the proteid so decomposed might advantageously be
replaced by a corresponding amount of carbohydrate. In muscle work, as
in heat production, carbohydrate and fat are the materials burned up,
or oxidized. Proteid, on the other hand, is not so oxidized, at least
not the nitrogen-containing portion of the molecule.
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