The Relation Between Urinary Excretion and Tissue Concentrations of Thiamine in Rats

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Abstract
The thiamine content of rat tissues has been studied under conditions of developing thiamine depletion and has been correlated with the excretion of thiamine in urine. Unlike other tissues studied the brain maintains its thiamine concentration in the face of a deficit of thiamine for a considerable period, after which there occurs an abrupt fall in thiamine content. The critical point at which the brain begins to lose its thiamine corresponds to the attainment of the minimum level of urinary thiamine excretion. This finding supports the view that the point of minimum urinary excretion is of physiological significance. It is suggested that the point of minimum excretion in the urine is a highly useful criterion for measuring thiamine requirements under various conditions.