THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERUM ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE AND DIETARY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS

Abstract

It has been found that, when weanling rats are placed on a diet containing low protein barley (protein = 8.5%) or on diets containing low protein barley with supplements of casein or individual essential amino acids, with the exception of lysine and methionine, the level of serum alkaline phosphatase is related in an inverse fashion to the rate of growth. The addition to the basal low protein diet of methionine or casein, i.e., of labile methyl groups, results in the lowering of serum alkaline phosphatase activity towards normal levels. This is considered to reflect a return to normal of fat mobilization.