The effect of a high level of dietary leucine on the niacin status of chicks and rats.
Baby chicks were fed purified diets containing 90 g/kg casein and 100 g/kg gelatin. With low levels of niacin and tryptophan, niacin deficiency resulted: this was not exacerbated by the addition of supplementary leucine (17.4 g/kg). With levels of niacin and tryptophan that supported rapid growth the further addition of supplementary leucine depressed food consumption and weight gain; in most instances this was statistically significant. No evidence was obtained to indicate that a high level of dietary leucine could result in niacin deficiency in chicks. Comparable experiments were carried out with weanling rats given a basal diet containing 60 g/kg casein and 60 g/kg gelatin. Adding 15 g/kg L-leucine gave results similar to those obtained with chicks and the same conclusions were drawn.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins; D002645:Chickens; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005780:Gelatin; D007930:Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology
D000596:Amino Acids; D002364:Caseins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; D014364:Tryptophan; D005780:Gelatin; D007930:Leucine