Vitamin Excretion Studies in Starving Obese Subjects

Abstract

The urinary excretion of pantothenic acid, biotin, riboflavin and 4-pyridoxic acid was measured in obese subjects during fifty days of total starvation. Among the subjects excretion of all the vitamins varied considerably. All vitamins continued to be excreted throughout the starvation period, but there was an early marked decrease in riboflavin excretion. The excretion of pantothenic acid and pyridoxine also diminished, but over a longer time period. Biotin excretion did not show a consistent decrease in relation to the duration of starvation.