Studies of Liberal Citrus Intakes. I

Twenty-five young adult subjects were found to utilize on the average 98% of the citric acid and citrates provided by very liberal (1800 cc. per day) consumption of grapefruit juice. Further evidences of a high tolerance toward citrus fruits were the absence of subjective symptoms and the finding in each case that consumption of grapefruit diminished the acidity of the 24-hour urine sample. Several additional studies in which a large (920 to 1675 cc.) single dose of grapefruit juice was taken and urine collections were made at short intervals showed a similarly high percentage utilization of the contained citric acid and a rise in urinary pH, i.e., a shift toward alkalinity, at all times up to 22 hours after ingestion of the juice.