12 



Scientific Proceedings (50). 



8 (704) 



The creatine content of muscle during starvation and its relation 

 to urinary creatine. 



By Victor C. Myers and Morris S. Fine. 



[From the Laboratory of Pathological Chemistry, New York Post- 

 Graduate Medical School and Hospital.] 



There has recently arisen some little discussion with regard 

 to the creatine concentration of muscle during starvation. Data 

 have been submitted to show that inanition in the rabbit results in 

 an increase in the content of muscle creatine, and it has further 

 been argued that there is an actual increase in creatine formation. 

 In other quarters, it has been claimed that starvation (experiments 

 with the dog) produces a marked decrease in the percentage con- 

 tent of muscle creatine. 



From nine experiments which we have already completed on 

 starving rabbits, we can agree with both of these observations as 

 regards an increase or a decrease in the content of the muscle 

 creatine. In three experiments, a decided increase in the content 

 of creatine in muscle has been found; in one the per cent, of 

 creatine was normal, while in five it was even more strikingly 

 below normal. In addition to the increased or normal creatine 

 content of muscle, the first four animals mentioned showed an 

 increased percentage content of creatine in the body. This we are 

 not inclined to ascribe to an increased creatine formation. 



The reason for this increased or decreased content of body and 

 muscle creatine appears to be satisfactorily explained by our 

 results. The animals having an increase in the content of muscle 

 creatine eliminate a comparatively small amount of creatine in the 

 urine, while those in which the muscle and total body creatine 

 has been considerably depleted, eliminate an equally large amount 

 of creatine in the urine. In other words, the content of muscle 

 creatine during starvation is dependent upon the amount of and 

 the rate of creatine excretion in the urine. Just why some animals 

 eliminate creatine more rapidly than others, we are as yet unable 

 to explain, although we assume that this is connected with the 

 length of the fast and the state of nutrition of the animal. The 



