The nutrition of manChittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Science
The nutrition of man
Chittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Nutrition
We see very clearly in these experiments the effects of the large
quantities of proteid fed on the destruction of proteid in the early
days of fasting. When the body is rich in proteid from food previously
taken, the metabolism of nitrogenous matter is very large at first,
as in the first series of experiments. Indeed, in this series, even
on the fifth day of fasting, the amount of proteid metabolized was
larger than on the second day of the third series. We have here a
forcible illustration of the physiological axiom that excess of proteid
matter in the tissues, or in the blood, stimulates proteid metabolism;
and it affords convincing proof of the contention that in the first
days of fasting the output of nitrogen, or the amount of proteid used
up, will depend in large measure upon the proteid condition of the
body at the time of the fast. Equally noticeable is the fact that
there comes a time--the sixth day in the above experiment--when the
nitrogen output reaches a common level, irrespective of the previous
proteid condition of the body. Further, it is easy to see that the
greater loss of nitrogen, _i. e._, the large breaking down of proteid
during the first few days of fasting, in those cases where proteid
food has been freely taken, suggests the existence in the tissues of
two forms of proteid. We may term them, following the nomenclature of
Voit, as circulating and morphotic, or tissue, proteid; or, we may
designate them as labile and stable forms of proteid. In other words,
following the usually accepted view, this circulating or labile proteid
represents reserve or surplus material which is easily decomposed
and hence rapidly gotten rid of, while the stable proteid is more
slowly oxidized, and its metabolism may be taken as representing more
nearly the real necessities of the body. However this may be, it is
plainly manifest that the nitrogen output, meaning the metabolism of
proteid matter, during hunger or fasting is modified by a variety of
circumstances, notably the previous nutritive condition of the body as
regards both fat and proteid. It is hardly necessary to add that the
amount of muscular work performed is another factor of importance in
this connection. Fat in the body represents inert material stored up
mainly for nutritive purposes; hence, in hunger it is used largely, and
serves to protect more important tissues. Thus, experiments have shown
that in long periods of fasting, adipose tissue may be consumed to the
extent of 97 per cent of the total amount present, while the heart and
nervous tissue will not lose over 3 per cent of their tissue substance.
The influence of tissue fat upon the consumption of proteid during
hunger can thus be fully appreciated.
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