The E. V. McCollum International Lectureship in Nutrition Old and New Substrates in Clinical Nutrition

Like a prism shines its colors onto a wall, such has been E. V. MCCOLLUM: CHEMIST AND BENEFACTOR McCollum’s influence on my career. I am delighted and grateful OF HUMANITY to the ASNS to have this opportunity to acknowledge and honor It is a great honor for me to present the McCollum lecture this great man and scientist through this lecture. at the 16th International Congress of Nutrition in Montreal. Lavoisier, one of the founders of the science of nutrition and chemistry, concluded his last paper before the French RevoluSUBSTRATE, REQUIREMENTS, ESSENTIALITY— tion by writing that the nutritional chemist could by his labors SOME DEFINITIONS aspire to ‘‘the glorious title of benefactor of humanity.’’ Indeed, the chemist and nutritionist McCollum certainly earned such According to the classical definitions acquired from the a title; McCollum was to nutritional science what Lavoisier ‘‘Encyclopedia Britannica’’: the substrate or causa invisibilis was to chemistry (Day 1987). The insight and revolutionary may be the substratum, the philosophical characterless subapproach of this unique scientist influenced a whole generation stance that supports attributes of reality. This is certainly not of researchers and launched a new era in nutritional science. the subject of this review; instead the emphasis is on substrates McCollum discovered vitamins A and D and introduced the as they pertain to enzymes and nutrition. These—like alcohol, use of laboratory animals. He was one of the first to see the unique certain amino acids, fatty acids, nucleotides etc.—are all reand important contribution that could result from a collaborative ferred to as old substrates. What has changed is their nutriapproach of medically and biochemically oriented scientists to tional significance and their newly recognized functional and nutritional problems (Day 1987). In addition to McCollum’s physiological properties under various pathological states discoveries and his influence on experimental nutrition research, (Grimble 1994). ‘‘Old substrates with new specifications’’ have he contributed much to transfering newer knowledge of nutrition been variously described as conditionally essential nutrients, to the public. He always showed a sense of moral obligation to functional nutrients, acquired indispensible nutrients. improve the health of mankind. Very early on he emphasized Grimble (1994) proposes that, regardless of the definition the importance of paying attention to the selection of food and used, a final judgement of the usefulness of an essential new diet: ‘‘Eat what you want after you have eaten what you should.’’ substrate will be on the grounds of clinical and nutritional In his famous textbook The Newer Knowledge of Nutrition: The efficacy. According to a more general position, ‘‘a possible and Use of Food for Preservation of Vitality and Health he used the useful direction might put more emphasis on metabolic control phrase ‘‘protective foods,’’ a catchword that popularized the prinand its regulation of tissue and organ function and nutritional ciple of ‘‘wise eating’’ and indeed presaged the ongoing debate status’’ (Young and El-Khoury 1995). This definition offers about chemoprotection, designer and functional foods for ú70 suggestions as to how certain metabolic characteristics shared years (McCollum 1953). by some substances might be used to differentiate the various As editorialized in American Institute of Nutrition notes in nutritionally significant substrates. This also would mean that 1979 ‘‘Dr. McCollum was a giant among giants in pushing forward the dietary essentiality of a given substrate is dependent on the frontiers of knowledge in nutritional science and in applying the ratio of supply to demand; the distinction between ‘‘essenhis knowledge for the benefit of mankind’’ (Day 1979). To this tial’’ and ‘‘nonessential’’ largely disappears because it is depenI would like to add a small quote from Adalbert Stifter, a famous dent on conditions (Young and El-Khoury 1995). Austrian narrator, who lived in the 19th century ‘‘The great This review is devoted to the description of the basic notion deeds of mankind are not the ones which are done with a lot of of new substrates. The remarkable portrayal of selected new noise. The great deeds happen as simply as the trickling of water, substrates and their potential implications in the experimental the moving of the air and the growing of corn. . .’’. Scientist and clinical setting will be recapitulated in the light of known and benefactor McCollum embodies this beautiful allegory. nutritional deficiencies and disorders. Finally, the prospective importance of new substrates in the developing field of clinical nutrition will be contemplated and new strategies proposed. 1 Supported by the Swedish Research Council (MFR), ASTRA Pharmaceuticals, Kabi-Vitrum, the National Institutes of Health, the Army Research and Clintek, the German Research Council (DFG), the ISFE, the Federal Ministry of ReUSE OF OLD AND NEW SUBSTRATES—A search and Technology (BMFT), and Pfrimmer and Fresenius AG. 2 The 12th E. V. McCollum International Lectureship in Nutrition presented at RENAISSANCE IN CLINICAL NUTRITION the 16th International Congress of Nutrition, July 28, 1997, Montreal, Canada. The Lectureship is supported by the E. V. McCollum International Lectureship With the discovery of common and specific mechanisms Endowment Fund and is administered by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. for alterations in substrate metabolism, unique opportunities