The Influence of High and Low Protein Diet on the Basal Metabolism and the Chemistry of Blood and Urine in Normal Women

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Abstract
A study of the influence of the protein level on basal metabolism and blood and urine chemistry was conducted on 6 normal adult women varying in age from 17 to 36 years. The subjects received for 5 weeks a high protein diet containing 2 gm. of protein, and sufficient carbohydrate and fat to make 40 calories, per kilo. of body weight. After an interval of 3 weeks, during which time the protein content of the diet was decreased until a level of 0.6 gm. was reached at a constant caloric value of 40, the subjects remained on this diet for 4 weeks. About a month later the same subjects were placed on a normal diet for 2 weeks during which time they were allowed to choose their own food as well as the amount. No marked difference was found in the basal metabolic rate of the subjects during the three periods. A slight increase was observed during the normal diet which might be due to an improved physical condition following a summer vacation or to the difference in the temperature of the season. An increase was found in the total non-protein nitrogen, urea nitrogen and creatine of the blood during the high protein period. No change was observed in uric acid, creatinine and calcium. There was a slight increase in the sugar and a marked increase in the blood lactic acid during the low protein period. No difference was found in blood pressure. As was expected, the total urinary nitrogen, urea nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, uric acid and creatine varied directly with the protein intake. Creatinine remained constant throughout the investigation. Total titratable acidity in the urine varied with the ammonia and hence with the protein intake. There was both a daily and an individual variation in organic acids. Lactic acid remained constant throughout the different periods.

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