Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T04:41:32.524Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of work level and dietary intake on water balance and the excretion of sodium, potassium and iron in a hot climate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Erica F. Wheeler
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WCIE7HT
Hamad El-Neil
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
J. O. C. Willson
Affiliation:
MRC Environmental Physiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WCIE7HT
J. S. Weiner
Affiliation:
MRC Environmental Physiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WCIE7HT
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. The dietary intake, and urinary, cutaneous and faecal loss of water, sodium, potassium and iron have been studied in young men living and performing moderate work in a hot climate. The dietary intakes of K and Fe were lowered during part of the study.

2. The subjects were already somewhat acclimatized to heat; further acclimatization was achieved when they were performing work, and this was assessed in terms of the increase in their rate of sweating.

3. The subjects tended to be in marginally negative Na balance, partly owing to lowered Na intakes. Intakes and outputs of K were in balance. Losses of K in sweat amounted to 15% of intake when the dietary level was reduced.

4. The subjects were slow in adapting to changes in Fe intake, 8 d being an insufficient period for adaptation after their intake had been halved. Losses of Fe in sweat were approximately 0·3 mg/d, or one-third of the estimated requirement for absorbed Fe.

5. It is concluded that Fe losses in sweat could be a significant factor in Fe depletion if dietary Fe was low or unavailable, as there was no evidence that a low intake and absorption affected sweat losses.

Type
Clinical and Human Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1973

References

Bothwell, T. H. (1970). In Iron Deficiency p. 151 [Hallberg, L., Harwerth, H.G. and Vannotti, A., editors]. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bothwell, T. H. & Mallett, R. (1955). Biochem. J. 59, 599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, K. J., Eddy, T. P., Hibbs, A., Stock, A. L. & Wheeler, E. F. (1971). Br. J. ind. Med. 26, 246.Google Scholar
Conrad, M. E. (1970). In Iron Deficiency p. 87 [Hallberg, L., Harwerth, H. G. and Vannotti, A., editors]. New York: Academic Press.Google ScholarPubMed
Edholm, O. G. (1972). In Advances in Climatic Physiology Ch. 10 [Ito, S., Ogata, K. and Yoshimura, H., editors]. Tokyo: Igaku Shoin Ltd.Google Scholar
FAO (1970). Tech. Rep. Ser. Wid Hlth Org. no. 452.Google Scholar
Fox, R. (1967). Rep. U.S. publ. Hlth Serv. TR-44, p. 267.Google Scholar
Green, R., Charlton, R., Seftel, H., Bothwell, T., Mayet, F., Adams, B., Finch, C. & Layrisse, M. (1968). Am. J. Med. 45, 336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hegarty, P. V. J. (1966). Investigation of anaemogenic diets. PhD Thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
McCance, R. A., El-Neil, H., El-Din, N., Widdowson, E. M., Southgate, D. A. T., Passmore, R., Shirling, D. & Wilkinson, R. T. (1971). Phil. Truns. R. Soc. B 259, 533.Google Scholar
McCance, R. A. & Widdowson, E. M. (1960). Spec. Rep. Ser. med. Res. Coun. no. 297.Google Scholar
Man, Y. K. & Wadsworth, G. R. (1969). Clin. Sci. 36, 479.Google Scholar
Rothstein, A., Adolph, E. F. & Wills, J. H. (1947). In Physiology of Man in the Desert Ch. 16. New York: Interscience Press.Google Scholar
Waterlow, J. C., Cravioto, J. & Stephen, J. M. L. (1960). Adv. Protein Chem. 15, 131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weiner, J. S. & van Heyningen (1952). Br. J. ind. Med. 9, 56.Google Scholar
Weiner, J. S., Willson, J. O. C., El-Neil, H. & Wheeler, E. F. (1972). Br. J. Nutr. 27, 543.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, G. M., Olney, J. M., Brooks, L., Myrden, J.A., Ball, M. R. & Moore, F. D. (1954). Metabolism 3, 324.Google Scholar
Wootton, I. D. P. (1958). Biochem. J. 68, 197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar