Studies on the Influences of Dietary Carbohydrates, Fats, and Phosphorus on Liver and Body Weight, Dietary Intake, Liver and Serum Cholesterol and Liver Triglyceride in Rats

The objective of this study was to determine the effects on the lipid metabolism of rats mediated by high levels of dietary sucrose or cornstarch and low levels of butter or corn oil, combined with varied amounts of phosphate. The experiments were based on the hypothesis that if large amounts of sugar are present in the diets, the amount of rnetabolically available phosphate could become limiting. If this hypothesis is true, so that greater activity of hexose monophosphate shunt enzymes and relatively less activity of glycolytic pathway could result, increased synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol may occur. This study includes determination of the body weight, daily dietary intake, liver weight, serum total cholesterol, liver total cholesterol and liver triglyceride levels in laboratory rats fed on seven-day ad libitum, seven- day restricted intake and four-week restricted. intake dietary regimens. Serum total cholesterol, liver total cholesterol and liver triglyceride concentrations were not notably affected by variation in type of dietary carbohydrates in this study. However, the rats on butter diets had higher serum total cholesterol, liver total cholesterol, and liver triglyceride levels than those on corn oil diets. In comparison to the medium dietary phosphate level, consumption of diets containing suboptimal levels of dietary phosphorus resulted in higher total cholesterol levels in the liver. This was not true in serum. Yet the highest dietary levels of phosphorus led to the highest serum and liver cholesterol, and liver triglycerides. Seven days of feeding time is recommended for further studies