STUDIES IN THE PHYSIOLOGY OF VITAMINS

Abstract

The amounts of a vitamin B concentrate prepared from yeast required to maintain the normal urge to eat were determined in 8 mice, 30 rats, 19 pigeons and 6 dogs differing widely in size. The quantitative data obtained for each sp. agreed well with the expression: Vitamin per day = K8. Weight5/3, where the value of K8 is peculiar to the species. Further study showed that the value of this sp. constant is inversely proportional to another variable, namely, the "maximum normal weight" of the sp., and that by means of this relationship it is possible to calculate the vitamin requirement quite accurately taking into account the size not only of the individual but of the sp. as well. It is suggested that the amount of antineuritic vitamin required to maintain the normal urge to eat is proportional to the total metabolism of the individual multiplied by a factor correcting for age. If individuals within a given sp. are being compared, it appears that the vitamin requirement per unit of mass is proportional to the metabolism of that mass. The authors suggest that, since the findings of this study apply to 4 widely different spp., they probably apply to man, and may therefore be used in attempting to estimate the human requirement for this vitamin.