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A B S T R A C T The specific effect of dietary sugars on jejunal disaccharidase activity in seven normal nonfasted male volunteers was studied. The sugars tested were sucrose, maltose, lactose, glucose, fructose, and galactose. Comparisons were made of the effects of each sugar in an isocaloric liquid diet.In all subjects, sucrose feeding, as compared to glucose feeding, significantly increased jejunal sucrase (S) and maltase (M) activities, but not lactase (L) activity. The S/L and M/L ratios increased to a significant degree.Fructose feeding, in two subjects, gave results similar to sucrose when comparing fructose and glucose diets. One subject was fed lactose, galactose, and maltose. These sugars, compared to glucose, did not increase disaccharidase activity. Fructose appears to be the active principle in the sucrose molecule.These results demonstrate that specific dietary sugars can alter enzyme activity in the small intestine of man in a specific fashion. Sucrose and fructose are able to regulate sucrase and maltase activity. Dietary alteration of intestinal enzymes may represent a suitable system for studying the regulation of enzyme activity in man.

Young adult male subjects maintained on a metabolic ward were fed diets providing controlled intakes of thiamin and either 2800 or 3600 kcal. The higher level of calories was attained by an increased intake of carbohydrates. Constant weights were maintained by the subjects by adjusting daily activity and exercise schedules. Thiamin requirements were evaluated in terms of erythrocyte transketolase activity and urinary excretion of the vitamin. The results of the study revealed that a relationship exists between thiamin requirement and caloric intake and expenditure. Thus, when the calories being utilized were derived primarily from carbohydrate sources, the minimum adult male requirement for thiamin appeared to be 0.30 mg of thiamin per 1000 kcal. Urinary excretion of thiamin and erythrocyte transketolase activity appear to be reasonably reliable reflections of thiamin intakes and thiamin nutritional status. The use of these measurements in nutrition surveys appears justified. The microbiological assay (Lactobacillus viridescens) for measuring thiamin levels in urine samples appears to be a somewhat more sensitive but valid procedure as an alternate for the thiochrome method. Judged from the results of this study, the recommended intake for the adult human of 0.40 mg of thiamin per 1000 kcal by FAO/WHO and the recommended allowance of 0.5 mg per 1000 kcal by the Food and Nutrition Board of the NAS-NRC appear reasonable and amply allow for biological variations and other factors that may influence the requirement for this vitamin.

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