Gastroileal nitrogen and electrolyte movements after bovine milk ingestion in humans

Gastric emptying and flow rates of nitrogen and electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl-, Mg2+, Ca2+) were studied in humans after bovine milk ingestion. With water as the control, intestinal effluents were collected after meal ingestion at the beginning of the jejunum or in the distal ileum. The flow rate of the effluent peaked in the first 40-min period after meal ingestion and returned to the initial amount within 100 min. After water ingestion the quantity of nitrogen recovered in the digesta remained unchanged both in the jejunum and in the ileum during the test period. After milk ingestion the nitrogen concentration in the jejunal digesta peaked in the first 20 min. Forty-two percent of milk nitrogen was absorbed before the jejunum and 93% was absorbed before the end of the ileum. These results showed that for the completion of the absorption of dietary proteins such as milk proteins, the lower part of the intestine is necessary.