Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

Abstract

Weanling male rats were fed a semi-synthetic diet containing either 5% safflower oil or 5% hydrogenated coconut oil for a period of 18 weeks. The diets were supplemented with 1% cholesterol, in an attempt to intensify EFA deficiency. The rats fed the EFA-free diet grew significantly less than those of the control group, and developed relatively strong dermal symptoms of EFA deficiency. Orchectomy of the right testis was performed, at intervals throughout the experiment, on a pair of rats from each group. Histological examination revealed no impairment of the spermatogenic epithelium in either group. However, analysis of the testis lipides revealed that, as the deficiency developed, dienoic acids decreased and trienoic acids increased markedly, even at a time when drastic changes of the spermatogenic tissue had not yet occurred. Analysis of testis lipide is suggested as a convenient biopsy method for evaluation of EFA status. Analysis of the hearts of the rats at the end of the experiment revealed a very marked increase in trienoic acid content and a decrease in dienoic acid in the deficient group. Measurement of trienoic acid content of heart tissue appears to be the best criterion for the evaluation of the EFA status of an animal.