Iron status in rats fed a purified diet without vitamin A.
The effect of vitamin A deficiency on iron status was investigated in rats. After 28 d of feeding either low or high vitamin A diets (0 vs 4000 IU of vitamin A per kg feed), the final body weight was slightly but significantly lowered by the low vitamin A diet. Plasma retinol concentrations were decreased in rats fed diets low in vitamin A. Marginal vitamin A deficiency produced slightly, but significantly lower blood hemoglobin concentrations; it did not clearly affect hematocrit. The concentration of iron in liver was significantly higher when diets low in vitamin A were fed while significantly lower levels were observed in femur.
Beynen
A C
AC
Department of Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition, State University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Sijtsma
K W
KW
Van Den Berg
G J
GJ
Lemmens
A G
AG
West
C E
CE
D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005269:Femur / Q000378:metabolism; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D014801:Vitamin A; D007501:Iron