摘要：

Experimental scurvy was induced in five adult males, 26 to 52 years of age. Body compartment measurements during recovery were derived from body density by water displacement, total body water from deuterium dilution and total body potassium from whole body counting of potassium-40. The first body composition measurements were accomplished after measured amounts of vitamin C had been administered daily for 18, 24 or 31 days. A second measurement was made approximately 17 weeks later. Attempts to maintain constant body weight failed. The subjects gained a mean of 0.2 kg during depletion. Between early and later repletion they gained a mean of 4.76 kg. Body fat exhibited the greatest mean body compartmental change followed by small mean changes in the body water or dry protein compartments. Correlations during early repletion between body pool, plasma or whole blood ascorbate with the dry protein mass (based on three independent techniques of determining this compartment) were of moderate inverse significance. All of the techniques used to estimate the size of the dry protein compartment did not detect evidence of impaired protein utilization or correction of protein utilization previously impaired by vitamin depletion during recovery from vitamin C deficiency. However nitrogen balance data from this study did not disclose the impairment in protein utilization suggested by our initial study on experimental scurvy. (Author)

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