Nutritional Edema and Its Relation to the Incidence of Common Colds.

Abstract

In the course of 20 years of personal experimentation with fasting and various diets, edema was frequently manifested. It often occurred after periods of undernutrition but was most prominent after prolonged fasting. Edema has also been observed in others after fasting. It is apparently similar to the starvation edema (Hungerödem) which developed among the undernourished masses of Europe during the late war. The European studies of this “war edema” made it clear that nutritional factors and not impairment of the circulation or of kidney function were responsible. But the detailed analysis of the nutritional factors was complicated by the fact that the dietary of the afflicted individuals was not only insufficient in quantity but was also inadequate in other respects. Thus, some investigators were led to attribute the edema mainly to an excessive salt and vegetable intake while others considered it a consequence of deficiency in vitamins or fat.

The edema observed in the subject of the present study occurred independent of some of the factors which complicated the European studies. Hence, it is possible to say definitely that vitamin deficiency, fat starvation or an excessive salt intake were not fundamental factors in the development of this edema. Instead, the observations in this study indicate that protein starvation is the primary factor in giving rise to this type of hydration. The finding of Kohman 1 is hereby supported. However, the gross manifestation of nutritional edema seems to be possible only when the diet contains sufficient salt or carbohydrate or both. Water taken alone is not stored and water restriction only creates thirst without removing the cause of the edema.

Data concerning the state of hydration before, during and after a 33-day fast were secured with the intradermal salt solution test Qf hfcclure and Aldrich 2 by Dr. Kunde. 3 Further observations were made later in connection with a 41-day fast.