THE GROWTH-RETARDING EFFECT OF ERUCIC ACID AND ITS RELATION TO REQUIREMENTS FOR FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

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Abstract
Young male rats fed a synthetic diet containing erucic acid but lacking fat-soluble vitamins plateau at a lower weight than those fed similar diets containing no fat or other individual fatty acids. Growth resumes in the erucic acid fed rats when vitamin A acetate and corn oil are administered, but neither is effective alone. The corn oil can be replaced by methyl linoleate. Vitamin A acetate alone causes some additional growth in rats plateaued on diets containing no fat or palmitic acid but it is more effective when combined with corn oil. Rats fed an erucic acid diet containing fat-soluble vitamins still plateaued at a lower weight than rats fed a similar diet containing oleic acid.