ABSTRACT

Twelve healthy female subjects aged < between 21 and 32 years were fed graded levels of protein inform of the habitual diet to which they were accustomed, in order to differentiate effects of this dietary component on urinary and plasma uric acid excretion. Urinary uric acid increased significantly with increase in the level of protein intake. The average daily uric-acid excretion at the four levels of protein tested were 297.7 ± 44.5, 282.9 ± 45.0. 304.6 ± 31.8 and 331.4 ±26.5 mg/day for 15.7. 21.4, 27.4 and 32.7g protein/day respectively. Thus urinary uric acid increased linearly by 2.14 mg/g protein. There is, therefore, a positive correlation between the amount of protein Vitamin and urinary uric acid excretion (r - '0.34) However, plasma uric acid did not change with Increase In dietary protein. This was attributed to a possible increase in renal clearance.