Vitamin D and Gastric Secretion

Abstract

The effect of vitamin D on gastric secretion was determined in a series of experiments with rats kept on natural or semisythetic rations, normal or rachitogenic. The gastric secretion was collected after a 10- to 24-hour period of fasting followed by pyloric ligation. Vitamin D was found to increase the volume and acidity of the secretion after the feeding of rachitogenic diets. No increase in acidity was obtained with rats on a normal diet or on a diet high in P. When induced with rachitogenic diets the increase could be correlated with an increase in serum P. No effect of vitamin D was demonstrable when the preoperative fasting period was reduced to 4 hours. Analysis of the rats failed to reveal any effect of vitamin D on body hydration.