title: Effects of a nutritional supplement on coprophagia: a study of three cases.
abstract: The cases of three individuals with profound mental retardation and long histories of coprophagia (ingestion of feces) were studied to determine if fecal material could be providing a nutrient that was unavailable from a standard institutional diet. In each case the individual was provided with a daily oral supplement of an "elemental diet," which, at twice the dose administered, would provide all the nutrients necessary for sustenance. The frequency of coprophagia was decreased in all three cases when they received the supplemental nutrients as compared to when they were maintained on a balanced institutional diet alone.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, IL 62901-6517.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bugle
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005503:Food Additives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005527:Food, Fortified; D064106:Human Coprophagia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009930:Organic Chemicals
chemical_list: D005503:Food Additives; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C011567:Vivonex