Effect of a zinc-deficient diet on nitrogen balance in rats.
The effects of a zinc-deficient diet (1.5 mg/kg) on nitrogen balance in rats, fed ad libitum during 30 days, was tested. Three nitrogen balances, each of 5 days, were done on the 4th, 15th and 25th days. A pair-fed group, with a supplemented diet at 80 mg/kg of zinc, was used as control. No significant differences (P less than or equal to 0.05) in any nitrogen balances for True Digestibility, Operative Biological Value and body weight were found. Nevertheless a trend was observed in all studied variables, indicating that the proteins of the control diet were better utilized than those of the zinc-deficient ones. The variation of the Biological Value of the proteins in the zinc-deficient group along the experimental period was similar to the control group.
Peñate
M A
MA
Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene Infanta, Havana, Cuba.
Padrón
M
M
Hernández
M
M
Diaz
R
R
Martin
M
M
Ponce de León
I
I
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D015032:Zinc; D009584:Nitrogen