Influence of Lecithin Feeding on Fat and Vitamin A Absorption in Man

Abstract

The fat and vitamin A tolerance tests were adopted for the study of intestinal absorption in cases of sprue. Active sprue is characterized by absence of the usual elevation of the total lipids or of the vitamin A content of the serum following the administration of the test dose of fat or vitamin A, respectively. Addition of lecithin to the fat and to the vitamin A used in the respective fat and vitamin A tolerance tests enhances the elevation of the total lipids or the vitamin A content of the serum, respectively. This effect is probably due to increased absorption and, perhaps to a lesser extent, to mobilization of hepatic deposits.