Body composition in elderly people. I. Determination of body composition by multiisotope method and the elimination kinetics of these isotopes in healthy elderly subjects.

The body composition of 40 healthy elderly and 20 healthy young subjects was determined and compared. It was found that the age-related changes were more marked in females than in males. Total body water was decreased as a consequence of diminished lean body mass. Extracellular fluid volume remained unchanged, while plasma volume increased. Thus, the liquid components of lean body mass were redistributed between the intracellular and extracellular spaces. The elimination kinetics of isotopes were not significantly different between young and aged subjects, except the elimination of radiosulfate.