It is quite evident from a study of the results obtained in the foregoing
experiments that young, vigorous men of the type under observation,
trained in athletics, accustomed to the doing of vigorous muscular work,
can satisfy all the true physiological needs of their bodies and maintain
their physical strength and vigor, as well as their capacity for mental
work, with an amount of proteid food equal to one-half, or one-third,
that ordinarily consumed by men of this stamp. As the results show, all
these men reduced their rate of proteid metabolism in such degree that
the amount of nitrogen excreted daily during the period of the experiment
averaged 8.8 grams, implying a metabolism of about 55 grams of proteid
matter per day.
In other words, these athletes were able to reduce their nitrogenous
metabolism to as low a level as many of the men of the professional group
and of the soldier group, and this with not only maintenance of health
and strength, but with a decided increase in their muscular power.
Metabolized nitrogen per kilo of body-weight for all these men, with one
exception, during the experiment amounted to 0.108 to 0.134 gram per day,
fully as low as was obtained with the members of the soldier detail on
their prescribed diet. It is clear, therefore, that physiological economy
in nutrition is as safe for men in athletics as for men not accustomed to
vigorous exercise. There is obviously no physiological ground for the use
of such quantity of proteid food, or of total nutrients, as the prevalent
dietary standards call for.
The athlete, as well as the less active man (physically), or the
professional man, can meet all his ordinary requirements with an intake
of proteid food far below the quantities generally consumed, and this
without increasing in any measure the amount of non-nitrogenous food.