Effect of Dietary Phytate/Zinc Molar Ratio on Growth and Bone Zinc Response of Rats Fed Semipurified Diets

Abstract

In rats fed semipurified diets, bioavailability of dietary zinc was tested at different phytate/zinc molar ratios; growth and zinc in femurs were the criteria of adequacy. On diets with 10–12 ppm zinc, the growth of rats was not affected by phytate/zinc molar ratios of 12 or less if the level of dietary calcium was 0.75% but was depressed at ratios greater than 6 if the level of calcium was 1.75%. Phytate/zinc molar ratios greater than these did not depress growth if the dietary zinc concentration was at least 2.5 and 5 times the minimal requirement for growth at dietary calcium levels of 0.75 and 1.75%, respectively. At the maximum phytate/zinc molar ratio that did not depress growth, accumulation of zinc in femurs was depressed. Small increases in dietary calcium (from 0.75 to 0.87%) depressed growth of rats fed diets with 12 ppm zinc and a phytate/zinc molar ratio of 25. Preformed Zn₃ and Zn₆ phytate preparations were equivalent to ZnSO₄·7H₂O as dietary zinc sources. The data indicated that high dietary calcium per se reduced zinc bioavailability. The maximum phytate/zinc molar ratio that did not depress growth of young rats was greatly influenced by dietary calcium level and somewhat influenced by total dietary zinc concentration.