Effect of Feeding Various Levels of Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium to Rats

Abstract

In an attempt to study further the fundamental basis of grass staggers or grass tetany in large animals, rats were used to study the effect of varying levels of Ca and K on the severity of the Mg-deficiency syndrome. High levels of either Ca or K or both hastened the onset of severe Mg-deficiency symptoms by 3 to 4 days. The feeding of high Ca levels produced a marked increase in mortality rates. The feeding of high K levels produced marked growth depression and a combination of high Ca and high K increased mortality, decreased growth, and markedly lowered the blood level of Mg.