American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 25, 275-278, Copyright © 1972 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Excretion of nitrogen in sweat by preadolescent girls consuming low protein diets

¹ From the Department of Human Nutrition and Foods, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

Nitrogen losses through sweat were determined in 23 preadolescent girls participating in two balance studies. Subjects excreted from 235 ± 69 to 375 ± 81 mg nitrogen daily.

At a nitrogen intake of approximately 4 g/day, the integumentary nitrogen losses would probably be less than the 0.8 mg/basal kilocalories or 800 mg/day allowed by NRC for this purpose. However, if sweat nitrogen excretion increases with increases in nitrogen intake, as several investigators believe, the integumentary loss of nitrogen may exceed 800 mg at higher nitrogen intakes and the NRC nitrogen allowance for these losses may be inadequate.