Urinary Excretion of Ascorbic Acid by the Rat as Influenced by Ingestion of Certain Carbohydrates. ∗

Abstract

Conclusions

It is apparent that the amount of ascorbic acid eliminated in the urine of the rat depends upon at least 2 major factors, namely, the type of carbohydrate ingested by the rat, and the physiological variations within the rat itself. Since it was frequently found that ascorbic acid elimination varied as much with different animals as it did with different diets, it is evident that the latter factor must be given due consideration. The data submitted, however, do not explain the origin of the ascorbic acid nor do they explain the differences in the amounts of ascorbic acid excreted in the urine of different animals while receiving comparable amounts of the same diet. A number of theoretical possibilities suggest themselves but these offer no immediate solution to the problem. It would serve no useful purpose to say that the ascorbic acid is probably of endogenous origin or that it has its origin in intermediate metabolites. Such suggestions fall far short of explaining the origin of the ascorbic acid in the body of the animal and would be equally ineffective in explaining why different animals excreted different amounts of this substance while consuming comparable portions of the same diet.