Protein absorption and ammonia production: the effects of dietary protein and removal of the colon

Abstract

1. The effect of increasing dietary protein content on the amount of faecal nitrogen was measured in six normal subjects and five subjects without functioning colons (three with ileostomy and two with ileo-rectal anastomosis).2. There was a significant increase in the amount of faecal N with increased dietary protein content in the subjects without functioning colons.3. In normal subjects with intact colons, faecal N content was found to be lower than that in subjects without colons, and furthermore there was no significant variation with diet.4. The source of the increase in faecal N with increased dietary protein content in subjects without functioning colons is discussed and the significance of these findings in relation to the efficiency of protein absorption is considered.