Metabolic Patterns in Preadolescent Children

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Abstract
Sulfur balance studies were carried out with 10 girls, 7 to 9 years old, for varying lengths of time, and with daily nitrogen intakes of 2.89, 3.52 and 11.15 gm. Average N:S intake ratios were 12.5, 13.2 and 14.6. Average urinary N:S ratios were 13.8, 13.5 and 25.4; average fecal N:S ratios were 10.1, 10.2 and 12.7, and for retention, 12.6, 13.7 and 5.1 for the three levels in ascending order. Approximately one eighth of the total sulfur intake was retained on low nitrogen intake levels, and about one half of the total sulfur intake was retained when nitrogen intake was as high as 11 gm daily. Highly significant differences existed between levels of nitrogen fed in both urinary excretion of sulfur and sulfur retained, but not in fecal sulfur excretion. A highly significant correlation existed between sulfur and nitrogen excreted in both the urine and the feces, and between the sulfur and nitrogen retained when the amount of nitrogen ingested was low; when nitrogen intake was high, correlations were not significant.