THE UTILIZATION OF RIBOFLAVIN GIVEN PERIODICALLY TO THE RAT APART FROM THE DIET

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Abstract
Male weanling rats were depleted of riboflavin reserves and given limiting amounts of riboflavin in the diet throughout the day, or at 1-, 2-, and 4-day intervals by stomach tube. Riboflavin given once a day by stomach tube was as efficiently utilized for growth as the same amounts of the vitamin given daily in the diet. Animals given equivalent amounts of riboflavin at 2- and 4-day intervals, however, showed a stepwise reduction in weight gain, food intake, and efficiency of food utilization. The efficiency of utilization of riboflavin given every 4 days varied with the size of the dose.In metabolic studies, rats given riboflavin every 4 days excreted more of a dose of C14-labelled riboflavin in the urine and feces, and retained less of the dose in the liver and carcass, than those given the vitamin daily. Administration of riboflavin at 4-day intervals had no effect on liver and carcass riboflavin levels.It was concluded that riboflavin given as a single daily dose is as well utilized by the rat as that consumed with the diet in several small doses over a 24-hour period. Administration of the vitamin at greater than daily intervals reduced the efficiency with which it was utilized.