Thiamine, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine and Pantothenate Deficiencies as Affecting the Body Composition of the Albino Rat

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Abstract
The composition of the body gains of male and female rats receiving diets moderately deficient in thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine or calcium pantothenate was compared with the composition of body gains of rats pair-fed a similar diet adequately fortified with the respective vitamins. The gains were accounted for in terms of water, protein, fat, and residual substance. In female rats thiamine promoted gains of fat, water and protein in relationships which were characteristic of normal growth. In male rats thiamine affected only the body fat content and had little or no effect on the fat-free tissue gained. The primary effect of riboflavin was to increase the body fat. A specific, but seemingly secondary, growth effect of riboflavin was evident in male rats, whereas fat alone was affected in females. In this respect, the reactions of the sexes to thiamine and riboflavin deficiencies were directly opposite. The over-all effect of riboflavin was more prominent in male than in female rats. Pyridoxine, like riboflavin, appeared to affect the male rats more prominently than it did the females. In both sexes the primary effect of pyridoxine was associated with the gains of water and protein, and there was no significant effect on the body fat content. Pantothenate promoted the gains of fat, water and protein in proportions which were characteristic of normal growth for both sexes. Pantothenate was the only one of the four vitamins studied which had a general effect on growth uncomplicated by sexual differences and by specific effects on the composition of the body increase. None of the four vitamins affected the gains of non-protein, non-fatty dry substance.