Serum Cholesterol Levels in Rats Fed Thirteen Trace Elements

Abstract

To ascertain differences in serum cholesterol levels as possibly affected by trace elements in the drinking water, rats were given soluble salts of zirconium, vanadium, niobium, chromium, nickel, cadmium, germanium, tin, lead, arsenic, and antimony at 5 ppm and selenium and tellurium at 2 ppm from the time of weaning until 11 to 30 months of age. The feeding of chromium at 1 ppm was associated with suppressed levels in males but not in females; 5 ppm appeared to be required for this effect in females. The lowest serum cholesterol levels were observed in groups given niobium, chromium and nickel, the highest in groups fed tellurium, with all animals receiving 1 ppm chromium. Significant differences in values of the 2 sexes appeared for 7 elements. It is possible that chromium, nickel and niobium exert anti-cholesterogenic properties, whereas tellurium may be cholesterogenic.