PHYSIOLOGY: The Influence of Folic Acid, Vitamins B2 and B6 Supplementation on Feed Intake, Body and Organs Weight, and Liver Fatty Acids Composition of Rats Subjected to 3 months Moderate Protein Deprivation

• Published in: Transboundary and emerging diseases 2007-03, Vol.54 (2), p.57
• Main Authors: Debski, B, Bertrandt, J, Klos, A, Gralak, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy & physiology; Diet; Nutrition; Proteins; Rodents; Vitamins
• ISSN: 1865-1674; 1865-1682
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2007.00904.x

This study was conducted to determine the effect of a 3-month dietary protein restriction - protein provided 9% of energy (20% in control group). In this dietary restriction folic acid, vitamins B2 and B6 were delivered in amount three times above the standard level. It was observed that animals fed a protein restricted (PR) diet weighed about 5% less than animals consuming adequate diet, but the difference was not statistically significant. Enrichment of PR diet with vitamin B or folic acid caused tendency to further suppression of weight gain, and in case of vitamin B6 these differences were statistically significant. However, such body weight (BW) suppression was not observed when all studied vitamins were used together. Significant reductions in relative liver weight (vitamin B2 addition), the heart (folic acid) and the lungs (vitamin B6) were observed. The PR diet, when all vitamins were added together, caused a decrease in weights of the lungs, heart and liver scaled to BW of rats, simultaneously with a significant increase in testis weight. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were higher in animals given PR diet without a significant influence of vitamin supplementation (except vitamin B6 causing further increase in feed conversion ratio). Hepatic fatty acids composition of rats was not affected by protein restriction, as well as by single vitamin supplementation. However, dietary supplementation of all examined vitamins together caused a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids followed by an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids participation in total fatty acids pool. It seems that enrichment of PR diet with a mixture of folic acid, vitamins B2 and B6 resulted in a partial reverse of growth suppression and reduction in testis size in rats. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]