Absorption of Dietary Fats by the Rat in Cholestyramine-induced Steatorrhea

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Abstract
Cholestyramine, a bile acid-sequestering resin, impaired fat absorption in weanling rats fed a diet containing 15% corn oil. With no cholestyramine, 94% of the fat was absorbed. Absorption decreased with increasing amounts of resin, and with 10% cholestyramine in the diet, only 35% of the fat was retained. In a second study, 5% cholestyramine decreased the retention of a variety of dietary fats as follows: (in per cent) medium-chain triglycerides, 2; coconut oil, 7; safflower oil, 16; soy oil, 17: corn oil, 20; olive oil, 27; butterfat, 28; and lard, 37. Two per cent cholestyramine had little effect upon net calcium absorption although 5% decreased absorption with all dietary fats. The type of dietary fat had little effect on the fecal excretion of bile acids. Two per cent cholestyramine increased the fecal excretion of bile acids 30-fold over control levels although 5% cholestyramine did not further increase bile acid excretion. Net retention of the medium-chain fatty acids and linoleic acid was high even with marked steatorrhea, whereas the long-chain saturated fatty acids and oleic acid were poorly absorbed.