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In [[human physiology]], '''nitrogen balance''' is the net difference between bodily nitrogen intake (ingestion) and loss (excretion). It can be represented as the following:
'''Nitrogen balance''' is a measure of [[nitrogen]] input minus nitrogen output.<ref name="urlDefinition: nitrogen balance from Online Medical Dictionary">{{cite web |url=http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?nitrogen+balance |title=Definition: nitrogen balance from Online Medical Dictionary |format= |work= |accessdate=}}</ref>


Nitrogen Balance = Nitrogen intake - Nitrogen loss
<math>\mbox{nitrogen balance} = {\mbox{nitrogen intake}} - {\mbox{nitrogen loss}} </math>


Nitrogen is a fundamental chemical component of [[amino acids]], the molecular building blocks of [[protein]]. As such, nitrogen balance may be used as an index of [[protein metabolism]].<ref>World Health Organization ''Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition.'' WHO Technical Report Series 935 [https://web.archive.org/web/20080921032328/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf]</ref> When more nitrogen is gained than lost by an individual, they are considered to have a positive nitrogen balance and be in a state of overall protein anabolism. In contrast, a negative nitrogen balance, in which more nitrogen is lost than gained, indicates a state of overall protein [[catabolism]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dickerson |first=Roland |date=April 2016 |title=Nitrogen Balance and Protein Requirements for Critically Ill Older Patients |journal=Nutrients |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=226 |doi=10.3390/nu8040226 |pmc=4848694 |pmid=27096868 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
Sources of nitrogen intake include meat, dairy, eggs, nuts and legumes, and grains and cereals. Examples of nitrogen losses include urine, feces, sweat, hair, and skin.


The body obtains nitrogen from dietary [[protein_(nutrient)|protein]], sources of which include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, legumes, cereals, and grains. Nitrogen loss occurs largely through urine in the form of [[urea]], as well as through faeces, sweat, and growth of hair and skin.
[[Blood urea nitrogen]] can be used in estimating nitrogen balance, as can the urea concentration in urine.


[[Blood urea nitrogen]] and [[urine urea nitrogen]] tests can be used to estimate nitrogen balance.
==Nitrogen Balance and Protein Metabolism==


==Physiological and Clinical Implications==
Nitrogen is a fundamental component of [[amino acids]], which are the molecular building blocks of [[protein]]. Therefore, measuring nitrogen inputs and losses can be used to study protein metabolism.<ref>World Health Organization ''Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition.'' WHO Technical Report Series 935 [http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/who_trs_935_eng.pdf]</ref>


Positive nitrogen balance is associated with periods of growth, [[hypothyroidism]], tissue repair, and pregnancy. This means that the intake of nitrogen into the body is greater than the loss of nitrogen from the body, so there is an increase in the total body pool of protein.
Positive nitrogen balance is associated with periods of growth, [[hypothyroidism]], tissue repair, and pregnancy.


Negative nitrogen balance is associated with burns, serious tissue injuries, fevers, [[hyperthyroidism]], wasting diseases, and during periods of fasting. This means that the amount of nitrogen excreted from the body is greater than the amount of nitrogen ingested.<ref name="urlVII. Monitoring Nutrition Therapy">{{cite web |url=http://healthlinks.washington.edu/nutrition/section7.html |title=VII. Monitoring Nutrition Therapy |work= |accessdate=}}</ref> A negative nitrogen balance can be used as part of a clinical evaluation of malnutrition.<ref name="pmid18403920">{{cite journal |author=Barbosa-Silva MC |title=Subjective and objective nutritional assessment methods: what do they really assess? |journal=Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=248–54 |date=May 2008 |pmid=18403920 |doi=10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282fba5d7 |url=http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?an=00075197-200805000-00010}}</ref>
Negative nitrogen balance is associated with burns, serious tissue injuries, fever, [[hyperthyroidism]], wasting diseases, and periods of fasting. A negative nitrogen balance can be used as part of a clinical evaluation of malnutrition.<ref name="pmid18403920">{{cite journal |author=Barbosa-Silva MC |title=Subjective and objective nutritional assessment methods: what do they really assess? |journal=Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=248–54 |date=May 2008 |pmid=18403920 |doi=10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282fba5d7 |s2cid=26831957 }}</ref>


Nitrogen balance is the traditional method of determining dietary protein requirements.<ref>Institute of Medicine. ''Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids (Macronutrients).'' The National Academies Press: 2005</ref> Determining dietary protein requirements using nitrogen balance requires that all nitrogen inputs and losses are carefully collected, to ensure that all nitrogen exchange is accounted for.<ref>Rand WM, Pellett PL, Young VR (2003). ''Meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies for estimating protein requirements in health adults.'' Am.J.Nutr 77(1):109-127.</ref> In order to control nitrogen inputs and losses, nitrogen balance studies usually require participants to eat very specific diets (so total nitrogen intake is known) and stay in the study location for the duration of the study (to collect all nitrogen losses). Because of these conditions, it can be difficult to study the dietary protein requirements of certain populations using the nitrogen balance technique (e.g. children).<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Elango R, Humayun MA, Ball RO, Pencharz PB | year = 2011 | title = Protein requirements of healthy, school-aged children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method | url = | journal = Am. J. Clin. Nutr. | volume = 94 | issue = 6| pages = 1545–1552 | doi=10.3945/ajcn.111.012815}}</ref>
Nitrogen balance is a method traditionally used to measure dietary protein requirements.<ref>Institute of Medicine. ''Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids (Macronutrients).'' The National Academies Press: 2005</ref> This approach necessitates the meticulous collection of all nitrogen inputs and outputs to ensure comprehensive accounting of nitrogen exchanges.<ref>Rand WM, Pellett PL, Young VR (2003). ''Meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies for estimating protein requirements in health adults.'' Am.J.Nutr 77(1):109-127.</ref> Nitrogen balance studies typically involve controlled dietary conditions, requiring participants to consume specific diets to determine total nitrogen intake precisely. Furthermore, participants often must remain at the study location for the duration of the study to facilitate the collection of all nitrogen losses. Physical exercise is also known to influence nitrogen excretion, adding another variable that requires control during these studies.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Clauss |first1=Matthieu |last2=Burkhardt |first2=Meike |last3=Wöber |first3=Sophie |last4=Skålhegg |first4=Bjørn Steen |last5=Jensen |first5=Jørgen |date=21 February 2024 |title=Effect of five hours of mixed exercise on urinary nitrogen excretion in healthy moderate-to-well-trained young adults |journal=Frontiers in Nutrition |volume=11 |doi=10.3389/fnut.2024.1345922 |pmc=10914964 |pmid=38450230 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Due to the stringent conditions required for accurate results, the nitrogen balance method may pose challenges when studying dietary protein requirements across different demographics, such as children.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Elango R, Humayun MA, Ball RO, Pencharz PB |year=2011 |title=Protein requirements of healthy, school-aged children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method |journal=Am. J. Clin. Nutr. |volume=94 |issue=6 |pages=1545–1552 |doi=10.3945/ajcn.111.012815 |pmid=22049165 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Dietary nitrogen, from metabolising proteins and other nitrogen-containing compounds, has been linked to changes in genome evolution. Species which primarily obtain energy from metabolising nitrogen-rich compounds use more nitrogen in their DNA than species which primarily break down carbohydrates for their energy (Needs Ref). Dietary nitrogen alters codon bias and genome composition in parasitic microorganisms.<ref name="pmid27842572">{{cite journal |author=Seward EA and Kelly S |title=Dietary nitrogen alters codon bias and genome composition in parasitic microorganisms |journal=Genome Biology |volume=17 |issue=226 |pages=1-15 |date=Nov 2016 |pmid=27842572 |doi=10.1186/s13059-016-1087-9 |url=https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-016-1087-9 |pmc=5109750}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|title=Test Definition: NITF|website=Mayo Clinic Laboratories|url=https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/enwiki/api/sitecore/TestCatalog/DownloadTestCatalog?testId=607704}} (with clinical information & interpretation related to nitrogen balance and its clinical testing)


[[Category:Nitrogen]]
[[Category:Nitrogen]]
[[Category:Proteins]]

Latest revision as of 00:50, 30 October 2024

In human physiology, nitrogen balance is the net difference between bodily nitrogen intake (ingestion) and loss (excretion). It can be represented as the following:

Nitrogen is a fundamental chemical component of amino acids, the molecular building blocks of protein. As such, nitrogen balance may be used as an index of protein metabolism.[1] When more nitrogen is gained than lost by an individual, they are considered to have a positive nitrogen balance and be in a state of overall protein anabolism. In contrast, a negative nitrogen balance, in which more nitrogen is lost than gained, indicates a state of overall protein catabolism.[2]

The body obtains nitrogen from dietary protein, sources of which include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, legumes, cereals, and grains. Nitrogen loss occurs largely through urine in the form of urea, as well as through faeces, sweat, and growth of hair and skin.

Blood urea nitrogen and urine urea nitrogen tests can be used to estimate nitrogen balance.

Physiological and Clinical Implications

[edit]

Positive nitrogen balance is associated with periods of growth, hypothyroidism, tissue repair, and pregnancy.

Negative nitrogen balance is associated with burns, serious tissue injuries, fever, hyperthyroidism, wasting diseases, and periods of fasting. A negative nitrogen balance can be used as part of a clinical evaluation of malnutrition.[3]

Nitrogen balance is a method traditionally used to measure dietary protein requirements.[4] This approach necessitates the meticulous collection of all nitrogen inputs and outputs to ensure comprehensive accounting of nitrogen exchanges.[5] Nitrogen balance studies typically involve controlled dietary conditions, requiring participants to consume specific diets to determine total nitrogen intake precisely. Furthermore, participants often must remain at the study location for the duration of the study to facilitate the collection of all nitrogen losses. Physical exercise is also known to influence nitrogen excretion, adding another variable that requires control during these studies.[6] Due to the stringent conditions required for accurate results, the nitrogen balance method may pose challenges when studying dietary protein requirements across different demographics, such as children.[7]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ World Health Organization Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition. WHO Technical Report Series 935 [1]
  2. ^ Dickerson, Roland (April 2016). "Nitrogen Balance and Protein Requirements for Critically Ill Older Patients". Nutrients. 8 (4): 226. doi:10.3390/nu8040226. PMC 4848694. PMID 27096868.
  3. ^ Barbosa-Silva MC (May 2008). "Subjective and objective nutritional assessment methods: what do they really assess?". Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 11 (3): 248–54. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282fba5d7. PMID 18403920. S2CID 26831957.
  4. ^ Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). The National Academies Press: 2005
  5. ^ Rand WM, Pellett PL, Young VR (2003). Meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies for estimating protein requirements in health adults. Am.J.Nutr 77(1):109-127.
  6. ^ Clauss, Matthieu; Burkhardt, Meike; Wöber, Sophie; Skålhegg, Bjørn Steen; Jensen, Jørgen (21 February 2024). "Effect of five hours of mixed exercise on urinary nitrogen excretion in healthy moderate-to-well-trained young adults". Frontiers in Nutrition. 11. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1345922. PMC 10914964. PMID 38450230.
  7. ^ Elango R, Humayun MA, Ball RO, Pencharz PB (2011). "Protein requirements of healthy, school-aged children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 94 (6): 1545–1552. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.012815. PMID 22049165.
[edit]
  • "Test Definition: NITF". Mayo Clinic Laboratories. (with clinical information & interpretation related to nitrogen balance and its clinical testing)