Alanine turnover in the postabsorptive state and during parenteral hyperalimentation before and after surgery

Influence of total parenteral nutrition and operation on alanine turnover and venous alanine concentration was determined in 5 patients with stomach carcinoma using single technique of U-14C alanine. Every patient served at his own control. In the postabsorptive state alanine turnover was 1.63 +/- 0.31 mgatC . min-1, not different from a control group (1.84 +/- 0.60 mgatC . min-1); during total parenteral nutrition alanine turnover increased to 3.21 +/- 0.5g mgatC . min-1 with a rise in alanine concentration from 0.96 +/- 0.17 mgatC . L-1 + 0.69 +/- 0.22 mgatC . L-1. After surgery during the same total parenteral nutrition alanine turnover increased further to 3.78 +/- 0.17 mgatC . min-1 with a lowering of alanine concentration to 1.44 +/- 0.22 mgatC . L-1. The present results show the distinct influence of TPH on alanine kinetics. The present data indicate that alanine turnover cannot be deduced from blood alanine concentration.