Severe or marginal iron deficiency affects spontaneous physical activity in rats.
The influence of dietary iron on spontaneous activity was investigated in growing rats. Male rats weighing 97 +/- 10 g fed diets containing 4.6 (deficient), 19.9 (marginal), and 108.4 (adequate) mg Fe/kg diet for 8 wks had hemoglobin values of 52 +/- 6, 152 +/- 4, and 159 +/- 6 g/L, and liver nonheme iron concentrations of 0.79 +/- 0.24, 1.36 +/- 0.39, and 4.58 +/- 0.62 mumol/g, respectively. Body weights were affected only at the lowest iron intake. Diurnal activity was not reversed by iron status; all animals were more active during the dark cycle than the light cycle. Iron deficiency resulted in less time and frequency of horizontal, vertical, and stereotypic movements; less distance moved; and less frequent rotations. Movement speed of iron-deficient rats was faster during early iron deficiency. In the light, rats with marginal iron nutriture were generally more active than were iron-deficient or iron-adequate animals. In the dark, activity generally decreased with each reduction in dietary iron.
Hunt
J R
JR
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, ND 58202-7166.
Zito
C A
CA
Erjavec
J
J
Johnson
L K
LK
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D003624:Darkness; D004032:Diet; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron