A 44-day metabolic study was conducted to compare the effects of soy protein and meat protein on N, Ca, P, and Mg metabolism in young Korean males. Meat protein diet(MPD) and soy protin diet(SPD) were provided for 3 weeks each. For MPD, meat protein Supplied 50.3% of total protein and mean daily suplies of Ca, P, and Mg were 33.28mg, 1013.01mg, 226.81mg respectively. For SPD, soy protein supplied 51.8% of total protein and mean contents of Ca, P and Mg were 737.86mg, 1261.76mg, and 451.3mg. Mean daily fecal and urinary excretions of Ca were 350.6mg and 113.3mg for MPD and 515.0mg and 118.3mg for SPD. Apparent absorption rates in MPD and SPD were 4.2mg in MPD and 700.4mg and 475.1mg SPD. Apparent absorption rates were 65.6% in MPD and 44.5% in SPD(p<0.01). For Mg, fecal and urinary excretions were 144.8mg and 81.2mg in MPD and 292.4mg and 65.5mg in SPD. Apparent absorption rates were 37.5% in MPD and 35.2% in SPD. The correlations between urinary Ca, P, and their balance were significant (p<0.001) in MPD, but not in SPD. Urinary Ca was significantly correlated with urinary N, P, Mg(p<0.001) in MPD, but not in SPD. From these results, meat protein seems to increase the excretions of major minerals compared to soy protein.