Variations in the excretion of urinary 3-methyl histidine on meat and meat free diet and its relation to body fat free mass

ABSTRACT

Body fat/fat free mass [FFM] and urinary 3-methyl histidine [3-Me-His] excretion was studied in a group of 20 healthy adult sedentary subjects. Mean 3-methyl histidine on meat and meat free days varied considerably in both sexes. Mean 3 Me-His/Kg FFM/day for males was 3.6 +/- 0.3 micro mol and for females 3.3 +/- 0.3 micro mol on meat free days. Protein break down rate was found to be 0.54 g/kg/FFM/day for males and 0.97 g/Kg/FFM/day for females. Values for fat and fat free mass by two methods, skin fold thickness and densitometery, were in good agreement and it is recommended that in the absence of costly and technically difficult methods, skin fold thickness can be used for body fat mass determination as a valid method: