The Effect of Dietary Calcium and Phosphorus on the Assimilation of Dietary Fluorine

Abstract

In three experiments, involving a total of seventy-six rats, the effects of varying levels of dietary calcium, dietary phosphorus remaining constant, and of dietary phosphorus, dietary calcium remaining constant, and of dietary phosphorus, dietary calcium remaining constant, on the retention and distribution of low levels of dietary fluorine (9, 12 and 32 p.p.m.) among skeleton, teeth and soft tissues were determined. The experiments involved equalized feeding of rats on comparable rations, analysis of check rats at the start of the experiments and analysis of all experimental rats at the termination of feeding periods during which 1000 gm., 500 gm., and 600 gm. of food were consumed, respectively, per rat. The results secured warrant the following conclusions: