The Effects of Lactose on the Absorption and Retention of Dietary Lead

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Abstract
Intubated lactose has been shown to facilitate the absorption and retention of radiolabeled tracer lead in weanling rats. The conditions under which this effect may be observed are specified here. In acute radiotracer studies with fasted rats, absorption of intubated lead from the intestines and lead uptake into kidney, liver, blood and brain were increased by lactose (3–6 mg/g, per os) in rats 22 and 26 days of age postpartum. However, neither absorption nor uptake and liver were affected in the suckling rat (reduced the retention of lead in kidneys and bones of weanling rats, fed both a normal (0.47%) and a calcium-deficient (0.02%) diet. It is concluded that intubations of high concentrations of lactose into fasted weanling rats can cause an increase in the absorption and uptake of lead. When fed to weanling rats at physiological concentrations, however, lactose actually reduces the retention of lead in bone and kidney.