THE EFFECT OF EXPERIMENTAL THYROID ABNORMALITIES ON APPETITE

Abstract

Selective feeding, with relatively pure constituents, all kept in separate feeding cups, supported good health and growth in most rats for over 1 yr. The selection varied with age; the critical age dividing "young" from "old" rats was about 4 mos. The young rats selected more fat and salt, the older ate more protein; all ate much more protein than is provided in the Osborne and Mendel diet. In some rats the alternate intake of fat and carbohydrate was so definite as to suggest that they "eat for calories." Thyroidectomized rats showed a markedly greater decrease in food intake than did the normals; hyperthyroid rats ate much more food than either of the other 2 groups.