[The effect of long-term increased protein administration on mineral metabolism and kidney function in the rat. I. Renal and enteral excretion of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfate and acid]

Biomarkers of meat intake and the application of nutrigenomics

Objective dietary intake markers for meat would be useful to assess meat intake in observational studies and as compliance markers in dietary intervention studies. A number of compounds are specific to meat compared with most other dietary items but there is some overlap between protein rich foods. A number of single compounds have been analysed in urine, plasma, serum or hair samples in studies of their relationship to meat or total protein intake. Among potential markers of dietary meat intake are urea, creatine, creatinine, carnitine, carnosine, anserine, ophidine, 1- and 3-methylhistidine, and sulphate or sulphite. Anserine and 1-methylhistidine come close to being meat-specific markers but true quantitative biomarker may not exist. Modern profiling techniques are increasingly used to look for useful biomarkers or for constructing them from latent information in complex profiles. Metabolomics by NMR spectroscopy of urine has also been applied to search for meat intake markers. Studies on single compounds or metabolomics markers are shortly reviewed here.

Increasing intake of soybean protein or casein, but not cod meal, reduces nephrocalcinosis in female rats

Female weanling rats were fed diets with soybean protein, casein or cod meal at 171, 342 or 513 mmol nitrogen/100 g for 3 wk. The diets were isonitrogenous and balanced for fat, cholesterol, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Cod meal feeding at 171 and 342 mmol nitrogen/100 g diet produced lower kidney calcium concentrations than the feeding of either soybean protein or casein. Increasing protein intakes were associated with reduced kidney calcium concentrations in the rats fed either soybean protein or casein but not in those fed cod meal. The anti-nephrocalcinogenic effect of increasing intakes of soybean protein may relate to the lowering of urinary phosphorus concentration. Increasing intakes of casein probably inhibited nephrocalcinogenesis by lowering urinary pH and raising urinary magnesium concentration. Increasing cod meal concentrations in the diet lowered urinary pH and raised urinary magnesium and calcium concentrations, but the effects on nephrocalcinogenesis of these changes probably counteracted each other.

Inhibitory effect of high protein intake on nephrocalcinogenesis in female rats

Increased intakes of protein have been shown to reduce kidney calcification (nephrocalcinosis) in female rats. Two questions were addressed in the present study. First, can protein-induced inhibition of nephrocalcinosis be demonstrated when the diets used are balanced for calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in the added protein? Second, can the protein effect be explained by the frequently observed magnesiuria after giving high-protein diets? Nephrocalcinosis was induced in female rats by giving purified diets containing 151 g casein/kg and either an increased concentration of P (6 v. 2 g/kg) or a decreased concentration of Mg (0.1 v. 0.4 g/kg). To these diets 151 g ovalbumin/kg was added at the expense of glucose, and the diets were balanced for Ca, Mg and P in ovalbumin. The diets were given for 29 d. In rats fed on the diet containing 151 g protein/kg, an increased intake of P or a decreased intake of Mg caused nephrocalcinosis as measured chemically by analysis of kidney Ca as well as histologically by scoring kidney sections stained according to Von Kossa's method. The addition of ovalbumin to the diet prevented the induction of nephrocalcinosis. High P intake and low Mg intake with the low-protein diets induced enhanced loss of albumin in urine, suggesting that nephrocalcinosis caused kidney damage. Increased protein intake with a non-calcinogenic diet also caused increased albumin excretion in urine. Irrespective of the composition of the background diet, increased protein intake caused increased urinary excretion of Mg. When all dietary groups were considered, differences in nephrocalcinosis and urinary Mg output were not proportionally related.

[The effect of long-term increased protein administration on mineral metabolism and kidney function in the rat. II. Kidney function and bone mineralization]

In the Federal Republic of Germany the average daily protein intake exceeds the Recommended Dietary Allowances for adults (0.8 g protein/kg body weight) by about 100%. On the other hand calcium intake is below the recommendations for certain age groups. Protein-induced hypercalciuria involves the risk of depletion of skeletal calcium stores, especially for older people who have a decreased absorption capacity for calcium. As a result of our study we postulate, that an altered renal function probably is one inducing factor of hypercalciuria. While urea excretion and serum urea concentration increased with an elevated dietary protein content from 13 to 26 or 40 J%, glomerular filtration rate remained unchanged. Fractional tubular reabsorption of calcium was significantly reduced by about 3% with increased endogenous acid production and renal excretion of hydrogen ions (first part of the study), which were accompanying a higher protein intake of 40 J% compared to 13 J% protein in the control group. Increasing the phosphorus content of the diet improved the reabsorption of calcium and magnesium. The kidneys of rats fed diets high in protein and phosphorus were hypertrophied. Histology of the kidneys showed signs of glomerulonephrosis. While the calcium content of the femora was slightly reduced with a higher protein intake of 40 compared to 13 J%, the magnesium content was increased (after 61 weeks: calcium from 261.4 to 257.1 mg/g dry fat-free wt [p less than or equal to 0.05]; magnesium from 3.2 to 3.5 mg/g dry fat-free wt [p less than or equal to 0.001]). Calcium and magnesium metabolism depends not only on the level of protein intake, but also on its interrelation with the dietary phosphorus content. With continuous high protein intake higher intakes for calcium, phosphorus and magnesium should be recommended, especially for older people.