Lathyrus

Lathyrus/Nutrient Depletion:

  • CalciumCalcium: Ingestion of Lathyrus sativus leaves or seeds may cause a disease called osteolathyrism, which includes bone pain and skeletal deformities, such as fusion failure in both vertebral and iliac epiphyses exhibited in two cases of osteolathyrism (8). In a controlled human study of urine samples from 54 volunteers that habitually consumed Lathyrus sativus, 25 showed no excretion of beta-diaminopropionic acid, while 29 showed an excretion of less than 0.7% the amount that was consumed (5). Peak urinary excretion occurred in the four-hour sample. Urinary oxalate was three times higher than the controls.