Protein-Energy Relationship in Adult Rats

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Abstract
Groups of female adult rats were fed ad libitum a diet providing 5% of the food energy as lactalbumin or the same diet supplemented with amino acids calculated to be most limiting after comparison of the ratio of amino acids to tryptophan with that of the daily amino acid requirements of the adult rat. After 20 days of unrestricted feeding, no significant differences in food intake were attributable to added arginine, methionine, phenylalanine and valine. Both groups were comparable in body weight, nitrogen retention and in weights and nitrogen concentrations of liver and carcass. However, hepatic fat was significantly lower with supplementation than without. Restriction of food energy intake for 30 days to two-thirds of amounts consumed voluntarily was associated with decreased hepatic weight and nitrogen; concentration of hepatic nitrogen increased. Total hepatic fat, carcass weight and total carcass nitrogen were reduced markedly. These effects of caloric restriction were not modified by variations in quality or quantity of nitrogen fed. Restricted groups had similar concentrations of hepatic fat. Increased nitrogen intake during restriction minimized losses in body weight and urinary nitrogen. Concentrations of carcass nitrogen were similar for supplemented and unsupplemented groups whether restricted or not.

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