title: Retention of calcium from various xylitol-calcium combinations in rats.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that xylitol, the five-carbon sugar alcohol, increases the intestinal absorption of Ca in the rat. In this study an optimum xylitol:Ca molar ratio for Ca absorption and retention was determined in 10-week-old Long-Evans male rats. Xylitol was intubated with 20 mg of 45Ca (as 45CaCl2 or 45CaCO3) into the stomach of fasted rats in 1 ml water using xylitol:Ca molar ratios of 0:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1 or 2:1. Radioactivity of urine, feces and humerus was determined from 48-hr samples. The highest retention rate of 45Ca in the whole body or in the humerus was found when 114 mg of xylitol was given with Ca (xylitol:Ca molar ratio 1.5). Xylitol affected humeral retention more significantly than whole body retention. For comparison, the retention of 45Ca was determined from four lactose:CaCl2 combinations and from Ca-lactate and Ca-citrate salts. None of these combinations increased Ca retention significantly, although lactose at 114 mg dose showed slight positive effect. The results favor the use of a xylitol:Ca molar ratio of 1.5 in Ca supplements.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D006811:Humerus / Q000378:metabolism; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014993:Xylitol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002122:Calcium Chloride; D002118:Calcium; D014993:Xylitol