Excretion of Thiamine and Riboflavin by Children

Abstract

Few reports are available on urinary excretion of thiamine and riboflavin by children, in relation to different food sources in the diet. An opportunity for such study presented itself in connection with a study of utilization of various foodstuffs. Each child in the original study was given in succession a basal diet, which was planned as a diet adequate in all known nutrients, and two experimental diets, wherein one food was substituted at two levels for the given percentage of each food in the basal diet. Thiamine intake varied from 0.47 to 2.83 mg. daily; riboflavin intake, from 0.79 to 3.23 mg. a day. In addition, six children were given diets containing 0.35 mg. or less of thiamine daily until urinary excretion of this vitamin had apparently reached a minimum level or until it was deemed medically desirable to increase the thiamine intake. Materials and Methods The data comprise 84