title: Effects of short-term fasting in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: Fasting is a common procedure for animals in experiments. Although fasting may be necessary for scientific reasons, it should be minimized. In the current study, jugular-catheterized male Sprague-Dawley rats in metabolism cages were fasted for 0 to 24 h before measurement of various physiologic markers (serum chemistry, CBC analysis, serum corticosterone). When controlled for cohort, rats fasted for 6 and 16 h had significantly lower serum glucose than did nonfasted rats. Other values did not differ from controls. Only rats fasted for 24 h had elevated serum corticosterone levels. Therefore, fasting for as long as 16 h has fewer effects on rats that does fasting for 24 h. Fasting for 24 h or more therefore should receive appropriate consideration by both scientists and the IACUC in the experimental design and the animal-use protocol.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. meganmur@umich.edu
authors.forename: Megan H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nowland
authors.forename: Kelly M S
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hugunin
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D003345:Corticosterone