The waste load in the bodies of meat-eaters is most notably urea and uric acid. For example, each pound of beef contains about fourteen grams of uric acid. An American doctor once analyzed the urine of meat-eaters and vegetarians, and found that to excrete nitrogen compounds, the burden on the kidneys of meat-eaters is three times that of vegetarians. When a person is young, they can still bear this burden, so no disease occurs. But as they age and the kidneys become overworked, they can no longer function effectively, and kidney disease follows.
When the kidneys can no longer handle the heavy burden from meat, the unexcreted uric acid is stored in the body. The muscles absorb it like a sponge; when the moisture is drawn out, it hardens and forms crystals. When it settles in the joints, it produces symptoms such as gout, rheumatism, and arthritis. When uric acid accumulates in the nerves, it produces neuritis and sciatica. Many doctors now advise patients suffering from the above-mentioned conditions to either stop eating meat completely or strictly limit their meat intake.