Mineral Metabolism of Aged Persons in the Prevailing Area of Cerebrovascular Lesions, With Special Reference to Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphor and Nitrogen

Abstract

Seasonal variations of mineral metabolism of calcium, magnesium, phosphor and nitrogen were examined for seven patients at a hospital and for 36 aged persons at a nursing home. Chemical analyses were made of food, feces and urine for 20 days period at the hospital and 5 days period at the nursing home in each season of summer and winter. And the balance between the intake and the excretion was compared between the two seasons. 1. As for calcium metabolism of the patients, the balance was higher in summer. And about the aged persons, both balance and storage seemed to be higher in summer. 2. Magnesium metabolism of the patients and also of the aged persons showed significantly higher level in summer from the view-points of the balance and the storage studies. 3. As for phosphorous metabolism, the patient group showed higher values in the balance and the storage in summer at the 5% level. However, the difference of these values of the aged persons between the two seasons did not reached to the significant level. 4. Nitrogen analyzed as an indication of protein metabolism showed positive balance in the two seasons for the hospital patients, and the storage rate was higher in summer with the significant level of 1%. For the asylum people the difference was not seen between the two seasons.