The Effect of Dietary Protein and Insulin on Calciuria

Abstract

This review covers papers looking at the mechanism of dietary protein induced hypercalciuria and in particular looking at the mechanism of the effect that insulin has in varying calciuria. Consideration is also given to the role of pH. ammoniagenesis, gluconeogenesis, ammonia and dietary lipids. Examination of the mechanism of dietary protein induced hypercalciuria is shown to be significant and that insulin can have a significant effect on modifying the level of calciuria. The effect of insulin was shown to work via its inhibition of gluconeogenesis so that ATP is made more available for active transport of Ca. Consideration was also given to the role of pH that can result from a high protein meal and it was demonstrated to work by stimulating ammoniagenesis coupled to gluconeogenesis thus reducing the availability of ATP. The membrane transport of ammonia that is also produced by ammoniagenesis was examined to see if it could have a direct inhibitory effect on Ca transport. It is shown to change its molecular configuration to a non-polar form and diffuse through membranes in a manner that would have no effect on Ca transport. Dietary lipids are also considered in regard to possible effect on calciuria and they were shown to have no significant effect on calciuria.