A balanced diet contains all the ingredients needed to maintain homeostasis. many important compounds in the body contain nitrogen atoms (n compounds), including amino acids, the bases of rna and dna, creatine, and porphyrins. despite the importance of nitrogen, the body neither stores nitrogen nor maintains reserves of n compounds. the body can synthesize the carbon chains of the n compounds but must obtain nitrogen atoms either by recycling n compounds or by absorbing nitrogen from the diet. pregnant or lactating women like justine actively synthesize n compounds. when an individual absorbs more nitrogen than he or she excretes, he or she is said to be in what state

Nitrogen balance is the traditional method of determining dietary protein requirements. Determining dietary protein requirements using nitrogen balance requires that all nitrogen inputs and losses are carefully collected, to ensure that all nitrogen exchange is accounted for. Positive nitrogen balance is associated with periods of growth, hypothyroidism, tissue repair, and pregnancy. This means that the intake of nitrogen into the body is greater than the loss of nitrogen from the body, so there is an increase in the total body pool of protein.