There is growing evidence that taurine is a biologically valuable nutrient. However, there are few published data concerning the taurine content of different foods. We measured the taurine content of 29 meats, including both cooked and uncooked samples, nine dairy products, 17 infant or adult-feeding solutions and 48 plant foods (including vegetables, nuts or seeds, fruits and legumes. Taurine was detected in meats, dairy products, and infant feeding solutions but not in plant products or adult feeding solutions. Using these data, we compared calculated and measured daily taurine intakes in six defined diets. We present sample daily diets for omnivores, lacto-ovovegetarians and vegans (strict vegetarians), together with calculated taurine intakes.

A nutritional assessment including determination of symptoms potentially influencing weight loss was prospectively performed on 254 consecutive cancer patients with favorable performance scores (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] level 0 to 2). Primary cancer sites included the following: non-small cell lung (n = 93), colon (n = 50), prostate (n = 23), oropharyngeal (n = 18), breast (n = 15), gastrointestinal (n = 13), and other (n = 42). Thirty-nine percent of patients had received no prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Common symptoms in the population were abdominal fullness (61%), taste change (46%), constipation (41%), mouth dryness (40%), nausea (39%), and vomiting (27%). Current caloric intake was surprisingly similar in 170 patients with weight loss (percent usual body weight [PUBW], less than or equal to 95%) compared with 84 without weight loss (PUBW, greater than 95%; 31.4 +/- 1.5 versus 30.5 +/- 2.1 kcal/kg/d, respectively). Symptoms identified by multivariate analysis as occurring significantly more frequently in populations with weight loss included abdominal fullness (P less than 0.001), taste change (P less than 0.002), vomiting (P less than 0.005), and mouth dryness (P less than 0.02). There was no difference in frequency of symptoms between patients with or without prior chemotherapy. These results indicate that gastrointestinal/oral symptoms potentially influencing weight loss are prevalent early in the course of cancer patients with unresectable disease, regardless of current nutritional status, caloric intake, or prior therapy experience.

Although maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients are often wasted, little is known about their dietary energy needs. We studied four men and two women in a clinical research center while they received diets providing 45, 35 and 25 kcal/kg desirable body weight/day; diets were fed, in random order, for 21 to 23 days each. Protein intake, 1.13 +/- 0.02 (SEM) g protein/kg/day, was similar with all three diets. Body weight rose with 45 and 35 kcal/kg/day (P less than 0.05) and fell with 25 kcal/kg/day (P less than 0.05). Nitrogen balance, adjusted for estimated unmeasured losses, was neutral with 45 and 35 kcal/kg/day and negative with 25 kcal/kg/day. Balance was neutral or positive in 6 of 6, 4 of 6, and 0 of 6 patients fed 45, 35, 25 kcal/kg/day, respectively. Nitrogen balance, many plasma amino acids and changes in body weight, mid-arm circumference, mid-arm muscle area and body fat each correlated with energy intake. Resting energy expenditure was normal. The energy intake estimated from regression equations to maintain neutral nitrogen balance was 38.5 kcal/kg desirable weight/day; for body fat and weight, it was 32 kcal/kg/day. These data suggest that MHD patients have normal energy expenditure and approximately normal requirements for maintenance of protein balance, body weight and body fat. An average energy intake of about 38 kcal/kg desirable weight/day may be necessary to maintain nitrogen balance in these patients.