Interrelationships between Dietary Levels of Sodium, Chlorine and Potassium

A series of experiments was conducted on the dietary relationship of the cations, sodium and potassium, and the anions, chloride and sulfate. The data showed that excesses of dietary chloride or sulfate ions supplied as glutamic acid hydrochloride, calcium chloride or calcium sulfate markedly depressed growth rate of chicks unless these anions were balanced with equimolar levels of sodium or potassium supplied in the diet with a metabolizable anion such as glutamate or carbonate. Excess sodium supplied as sodium glutamate was also detrimental unless a high level of chloride in one of the above forms was also present. Chicks tolerated excesses of potassium better than excesses of sodium. These experiments provide a probable explanation of many discrepant results reported in the literature on the dietary requirements of chicks and rats for sodium and potassium.