Madeleine E. Mitchell

Liver function in protein-energy malnutrition measured by cinnamic acid tolerance and benzoic acid tolerance: effect of carnitine supplementation

1. Rats fed on a protein-depleted diet for 8 weeks were repleted for 5 weeks on high-protein (HP), high-protein + 20 g DL-carnitine/kg (HP + C), or low-protein + 20 g DL-carnitine/kg (LP + C) diets. At 4 and 8 weeks of depletion, and 1 and 5 weeks of repletion, rats from each treatment group were given a benzoic acid tolerance test (BATT) or a cinnamic acid tolerance test (CATT) as a measure of liver function. 2. BATT and CATT measured the molar percentage of a test dose (1 mmol/kg body-weight) of benzoic acid or cinnamic acid excreted in the urine as hippuric acid within 24 h. Liver weight, liver lipid levels, and carnitine concentration in plasma and liver were also measured following liver-function testing. 3. BATT and CATT were severely impaired in protein-depleted rats, but returned rapidly to control levels following protein refeeding. Correlations of BATT and CATT with liver lipid concentration were high (r -0.49 and -0.62 respectively), and both tests show promise as clinical tests for liver function in protein-energy malnutrition. 4. Carnitine supplementation was required to return liver carnitine concentration of protein-depleted rats to control levels during repletion, but was not associated with accelerated reduction in liver fat concentration in protein-repleted rats.

Formulation and nutritive value of weaning food from germinated food grains

Abstract The feasibility of using germinated seeds to formulate a nutritious weaning food for Asian developing countries was investigated. The final formulation (WF) contained germinated wheat, millet, garbanzo bean, mung bean and sesame in the proportion of 8:4:4:3:1. The product was acceptable when served with banana and brown sugar. On a freeze dried weight basis, 100g WF contained 390 kcal, 18 g protein, 11 g fiber and 3.1, 5.5, 133, 29 mg of Zn, Fe, Ca and vitamin C respectively. Compared to the ungerminated mixture (UWF) WF had 60% less phytate. Decorticating the legumes of the formulation (DWF) decreased neutral detergent fiber (NDF) by 3%. Chemical scores based on amino acid analysis were 86, 93 and 110 respectively for WF, UWF and DWF. Relative nutritive value for WF and UWF were 0.95 and 1.01 as measured by rat assays using lactalbumin as reference protein at 3, 5 and 7% level and WF and UWF at 6, 8 and 10% level. Modified Protein Efficiency Ratios (rat assay) were 3.3., 3.1 and 3.2. for UWF, WF and DWF respectively and true digestibility of each was more than 97%. Substitution of 20% WF protein by lactalbumin did not improve PER further. However the substituted group and DWF had highest blood hemoglobin amongst all groups. It was concluded an acceptable and nutritive weaning food can be developed using germinated cereals and legumes. Germination did not seem to further improve, protein quality but might affect mineral bioavailability.

Vitamin and food supplement practices and nutrition beliefs of the elderly in seven Western states

Abstract A mail survey of 2,451 non-institutionalized subjects, including 595 sixty years or older living in seven Western state (Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington) reported frequencies and factors associated with vitamin and mineral supplementation. Sixty percent of subjects over 60 years reported using one or more supplements with multiple vitamin, vitamin D and vitamin E being most frequently used (>50%). Reasons for use ranged from lack of vitamin in food to energy and/or tiredness. Sources of nutrition information cited most frequently were newspapers and books. The level of usage in the elderly is a major concern for health providers as well as the lack of information from professional resources.

Mineral supplementation practices of adults in seven western states

Seven western states (Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wyoming) were surveyed in 1986 to determine the extent of vitamin/mineral supplementation and dosage levels of single supplements. Questionnaires were mailed to 3,500 individuals. A 57.8% response rate was obtained from the deliverable surveys, with a sample size of 1,730. The sample consisted of 54% women and 46% men and was predominantly white (88.9%). Fifty-four percent of the sample consumed some type of supplement; multiple vitamin/minerals were consumed with the greatest frequency. For single supplements, vitamin C was reported with the greatest frequency (23.1%), followed by some type of calcium supplement (22.5%) and vitamin E (11.1%). More than 80% of the vitamin C users indicated a dosage of 250 mg/day. Most respondents consumed calcium dosages of less than 1,000 mg/day. For vitamin E, 75% of the users consumed more than 200 IU/day. The data suggest that the potential for toxicity due to excess supplementation levels exists in the western states studied.

Urinary oxalate is not increased by vitamin B-6 depletion in young women

Although acute vitamin B-6 deficiency increases urinary oxalate excretion, the effects of marginal vitamin B-6 status are unknown. Mild vitamin B-6 depletion was induced in eight healthy young women by feeding a low vitamin B-6 lacto-ovo-vegetarian natural foods diet for 27 days. The basal diet contained 0.45 mg vitamin B-6 and 1.55 g/kg body weight protein. Although measures of vitamin B-6 status indicated that the women had marginal vitamin B-6 status, no effect was seen on 24 hour urinary oxalate. The women were then repleted with 1.26 mg vitamin B-6 for 21 days, followed by repletion with 1.66 mg for 21 days, then 2.06 mg vitamin B-6 for an additional 14 days. At the end of the 56 day repletion period, 24 hour urinary oxalate was unchanged from either adjustment or depletion values. Vitamin B-6 depletion associated with consumption of a low vitamin B-6 diet did not affect 24 hour urinary oxalate. Marginal vitamin B-6 status is unlikely to be a cause of calcium oxalate kidney stones in a young healthy population.