Ammonium chloride-induced acidosis increases protein breakdown and amino acid oxidation in humans

The effect of acidosis on whole body protein turnover was determined from the kinetics of infused L-[1-13C]leucine. Seven healthy subjects were studied before (basal) and after (acid) the induction of acidosis with 5 days oral ammonium chloride (basal pH 7.42 +/- 0.01, acid pH 7.35 +/- 0.03). Bicarbonate recovery, measured from the kinetics of infused NaH13CO3, was increased in the acidotic state (basal 72.9 +/- 1.2 vs. acid 77.6 +/- 1.6%; P = 0.06). Leucine appearance from body protein (PD), leucine disappearance into body protein (PS), and leucine oxidation (O) increased significantly (PD: basal 120.5 +/- 5.6 vs. acid 153.9 +/- 6.2, P < 0.01; PS: basal 98.8 +/- 5.6 vs. acid 127.0 +/- 4.7, P < 0.01; O: basal 21.6 +/- 1.1 vs. acid 26.9 +/- 2.3 mumol.kg-1.h-1, P < 0.01). Plasma levels of the amino acids threonine, serine, asparagine, citrulline, valine, leucine, ornithine, lysine, histidine, arginine, and hydroxyproline increased significantly with the induction of acidosis. These results confirm that acidosis in humans is a catabolic factor stimulating protein degradation and amino acid oxidation.