Alison R. Behling

Lipid absorption and intestinal tumour incidence in rats fed on varying levels of calcium and butterfat.

The purpose of the 2 x 2 factorial study was to determine the effect of varying levels of dietary calcium (2.5 and 10 g/kg) and butterfat (50 and 200 g/kg) on lipid utilization and on development of colon tumours in animals initiated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride. Among rats fed on 200 g butterfat/kg, the fourfold increase in Ca intake induced more than a sevenfold increase in faecal excretion of total lipids and almost a fortyfold increase in faecal excretion of acid-extractable lipid. Among rats fed on 50 g butterfat/kg, the ingestion of supplemental Ca had a less dramatic effect and induced only a twofold increase in faecal excretion of total lipids and a threefold increase in acid-extractable lipid. The volume of intestinal adenocarcinomas was correlated with the excretion of acid-extractable lipid in faeces (R 0.369, P less than 0.02). Caecal enzymic activity was not correlated with tumour incidence or size or faecal lipid excretion. Overall, the fourfold increase in Ca intakes decreased total lipid absorption significantly but by less than 6%.

Changes in intestinal function of rats initiated with DMH and fed varying levels of butterfat, calcium, and magnesium

The effects of dietary calcium, magnesium, and butterfat on intestinal function and flora in rats initiated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) were studied. Male weanling rats were assigned to six isocaloric diets that varied in their levels of calcium and magnesium (0.25% Ca with 0.05% Mg, 1.0% Ca with 0.05% Mg, or 0.625% Ca with 0.50% Mg) and butterfat (5% or 20%). One-half of the rats in each treatment were injected subcutaneously with DMH weekly for four weeks. This short-term exposure to DMH increased colonic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and the mass of cecal contents. Ingestion of the high levels of either calcium or magnesium depressed colonic ODC activity and depressed apparent absorption of organic matter, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Ingestion of excess magnesium increased the mass of the cecal contents by twofold, caused hypertrophy of cecal walls, and increased the total amount of protein and total nitroreductase and beta-glucuronidase activity in the ceca of rats. Ingestion of supplemental calcium had less dramatic effects and increased the mass of cecal contents by only 28% and decreased the total amount of protein in the ceca. On the basis of their different effects on cecal microflora, magnesium appears to have less potential than does calcium as a protective agent against colon cancer.

Mineral metabolism of aging female rats fed various commercially available calcium supplements or yogurt.

The utilization of calcium from commercially available calcium supplements and yogurt and the effects of these calcium supplements on the utilization of other minerals were evaluated. Moderate and high levels (4 and 8 mg Ca/g diet) of calcium from four different sources of dietary calcium (yogurt, calcium phosphate dibasic, calcium magnesium chelate, and oyster shells) were fed to retired female breeder rats. Rats absorbed calcium equally efficiently from all four sources but ingestion of calcium phosphate dibasic tended to cause abnormal accumulation of calcium in kidneys. Ingestion of the calcium magnesium chelate improved calcium retention in bone but depressed the digestibility of the total diet. The elevation of dietary calcium did not affect tissue calcium levels or fecal β-glucuronidase activity but depressed the apparent absorption of phosphorus, increased kidney phosphorus levels, decreased tibia iron levels, and decreased the digestibility of the total diet.

Sodium, potassium and chloride utilization by rats given various inorganic anions

The purpose of the present studies was to examine the effect of ingestion of sodium and potassium salts of various fixed anions on blood pressure, and to assess interactions among electrolytes. In the first study, Sprague-Dawley rats fed on purified diets supplemented with Na salts of chloride, sulphate, bisulphate, carbonate and bicarbonate for 7 weeks developed higher blood pressures than rats fed on the basal diet. In a second study, rats fed on Na or K salts of HSO4, HCO3 or Cl had higher blood pressures than rats fed on the basal diet. Blood pressure measurements were not correlated with plasma volume, plasma renin activity, or plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations at 7 weeks. Plasma renin activity was depressed in rats fed on supplemental Na and even more in rats fed on supplemental K salts rather than the basal diet. Generally, rats fed on supplemental Na excreted Na in urine and absorbed Na in the gut more efficiently than rats fed on the basal diet or diets supplemented with K, but the anions fed also altered Na absorption and excretion. In a third study, rats fed on diets supplemented with any Cl salt, but especially KCl, absorbed K more efficiently than those fed on the basal diet. In studies 1 and 2, the efficiency of urinary excretion of K was greatest when HCO3 and CO3 salts were fed and least when HSO4 salts were fed. Despite large variations in the efficiency of absorption and excretion of Na and K, tissue levels of the electrolytes remained constant.

Chloride, sodium and potassium utilization by subjects fed milk and calcium supplements

Abstract Eight adult males excreted on average 97%, 95% and 84% of their chloride, sodium and potassium intakes, respectively, in urine during a 56-day metabolic balance study. Variations in the levels and forms of chloride and calcium fed had no significant effects on apparent absorption or serum levels of chloride and sodium. Urinary chloride and sodium excretion were sensitive to seasonal changes. Apparent absorption of potassium was increased when subjects were fed supplemental calcium.