RELATION OF THE B VITAMINS TO OVARIAN FUNCTION DURING EXPERIMENTAL HYPERTHYROIDISM1

Abstract
Hyperthyroid rats, re-ceiving a synthetic diet and a small yeast supplement, rapidly lost wt. when 100 mg. of thyroid gland were fed daily; the food intake remained essentially unchanged. After 10-17 days of thyroid feeding all the rats had entered continuous diestrous. By administering sufficient B vits. the food intake was increased, the loss of wt. prevented, and a slight gain in wt. obtained; normal estrus cycles were maintained throughout the 79 days of thyroid feeding. The ovaries and the pituitary of the hyperthyroid rats receiving the small yeast supplement showed a loss of wt. The histologic picture of these ovaries suggested insufficient gonadotrophic hormone secretion. The hyperthyroid rats receiving the high B vit. diet maintained normal ovarian and pituitary wt., and showed a normal ovarian histology.