EFFECTS OF A HIGH PROTEIN DIET ON THE ANEMIA INDUCED BY HYPOPHYSECTOMY IN ADULT FEMALE RATS, INCLUDING FURTHER DETAILS ON POST-HYPOPHYSECTOMY ANEMIA1

Abstract

Hypophysectomy induces an anemia in adult rats which has the following characteristics: a 30% decrease in erythrocyte count, a 33% decrease in hematocrit, a 31% decrease in hemoglobin, a slight decrease in mean corpuscular vol. which caused a slight decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin, a normal mean corpuscular hemoglobin concn., and a hypoplasia of the bone marrow with a decrease in percentage of erythroid elements. Thy-roxin or androgen therapy prevent all manifestations of this anemia except the fall in hemoglobin. However, best results were obtained with a high-protein diet + 0.005 mg. of thyroxin per day + 1 mg. of testosterone propionate per day. This therapy maintained the hematocrit and hemoglobin at normal levels while increasing the erythrocyte count. The anemia induced by hypophysectomy can be prevented by a high-protein diet in combination with thyroxin and androgen therapy.