Dietary Constituents Which May Influence the Use of Food Cholesterol II. Protein, L-Cystine and DL-Methionine Intake in Adolescent Rats

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Abstract
A three-week cholesterol feeding experiment with adolescent rats is reported. It was planned to measure the effect, on liver cholesterol storage, of adding 15% egg albumin to a diet already adequate for good growth. Five groups of rats were used. One group was given only the basal diet (B). Each of the other groups received, respectively, the basal diet plus 15% extra egg albumin (HP); DL-methionine (BM) L-cystine (BC); DL-methionine and L-cystine (BCM). The amounts of the amino acids were equivalent to those furnished by the extra egg albumin. Each group consisted of 10 males and 11 females. Males given the extra egg albumin had significantly smaller amounts of liver cholesterol than did those fed the basal diet. Females had consistently lower liver cholesterol values than did males, but showed no significant decrease with increased protein intake. DL-methionine tended to decrease liver cholesterol storage, and L-cystine, to increase it. Differences were significant for females only, and were related to weight gain. Sex differences in response to both protein and cholesterol were so marked as to make separate evaluation of data for males and females imperative.

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