Dietary self-selection in chronically insulin-treated golden hamsters.
Adult male golden hamsters were maintained on either Purina Rat Chow (chow group) or a self-selection diet consisting of high-protein chow, pure carbohydrate, and pure fat (choice group). Animals were injected for 12 consecutive days with either long-acting insulin (20 U/kg for 4 days, 60 U/kg for 4 days, and 100 U/kg for 4 days) or physiological saline. Insulin-injected hamsters under both dietary conditions increased their total caloric consumption by up to 33% and gained significantly more weight than saline-injected controls. Choice hamsters increased their fat intake in response to the 60 and 100 U/kg doses of insulin, but carbohydrate and protein consumption increased only in response to the 100 U/kg dose. Choice hamsters derived approximately 65% of the excess calories ingested during insulin administration from fat, but only 20% from carbohydrate and 15% from protein. Results are related to those previously observed in other species.
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007328:Insulin