Back to results

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

D-glucaric acid excretion: its positive association with gender, tobacco, caffeine, marijuana, and vegetarianism in humans

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid (DGA) has been used as a nonspecific measure of the induction of hepatic enzymes associated with drug metabolism in man. A survey of 124 nonmedicated men (18-56 years of age), who kept a 5-day food and beverage intake record and collected their total urinary output for the last three days of the five, was conducted to assess the relationship between DGA excretion and various dietary factors. Eighteen nonmedicated, healthy women collected the same data, but started recording on the eighth day from the commencement of menstruation. DGA was determined by an enzymatic assay and recorded as micromoles D-glucaro-1,4-lactone/gm creatinine. There was a positive association between total DGA excreted and the use of marijuana, caffeine, and tobacco products, the heaviest users excreting significantly higher levels of urinary DGA than the moderate or low users of the same substance. Analysis of variance of mean DGA excretion also revealed significant differences between females (17.0±3.7) and males (14.3±5.2): male vegetarians (17.4±5.5) and nonvegetarians ( 13.9±5.1) ; and female vegetarians (19.8±4.6) and nonvegetarians (16.2±3.1). Alcohol consumption and family history of cancer incidences were not significantly related to DGA excretion in either sex. Multiple regression analyses revealed that consumption were the two vegetarianism and caffeine strongest predictors of DGA excretion, while alcohol and marijuana consumption affected DGA the least. These results indicate that dietary and environmental factors can exert a significant effect on DGA excretion, and these associations may identify dietary inducers of hepatic enzymes associated with xenobiotic biotransformations in humans.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Human Nutrition and Foods
Department dc:contributor.department
Human Nutrition and Foods
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Year dc:date.issued
1982

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Kyle, Elizabeth Ellen

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/80183
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/80183

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Kyle, Elizabeth Ellen. D-glucaric acid excretion: its positive association with gender, tobacco, caffeine, marijuana, and vegetarianism in humans. masters thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/80183