FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE CARBOHYDRATE, FAT, AND PROTEIN APPETITE OF VITAMIN B DEFICIENT RATS

Abstract

Rats on the standard McCollum diet to the age of 65 days were offered a self-selection diet containing no part of the vit. B complex. They ingested more olive oil, less sucrose, and practically no casein, as compared to control rats given a self-selection diet con-taining yeast. 6 groups of rats on the basal vit. B free self-selection diet were given access to one or several of the following vit. B components: thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and factor W. The rats showed an appetite for each of them. On riboflavin the survival time averaged 106 days; on thiamin, 95 days; on nicotinic acid; 85 days. Without any of them survival time averaged only 65 days. Riboflavin had more effect than any of the others on reproduction. The rats having access to thiamin ate normal amts. of sucrose, stopped drinking olive oil, but refused to eat casein. Those given access to riboflavin displayed an increased appetite for casein. Nicotinic acid did not modify the appetite. The rats offered factor W showed a constant and normal olive oil intake. The rats having access to thiamin and riboflavin, or to all 4 components, tended to show an appetite for sucrose and olive oil similar to that of the control animals offered the self-selection diet containing yeast; the most striking effect of these vit. B combinations was the return of the casein appetite.