Decreased Resistance of Riboflavin-Deficient Rats to Gold Stress.

Abstract

Expts. were conducted on the effects of graded doses of riboflavin on the growth and survival of rats maintained under cold room and room temp. conditions. Weanling rats were fed for 3 weeks on diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.5, 10 and 50 mg. of riboflavin per kg. of diet. After 3 wks. of feeding (at which time rats on the riboflavin-free diet had plateaued in wt.) animals were divided into 2 groups, one of which was placed in a cold room maintained at 2[degree]C, while the other was maintained at room temp. (23[degree] C). Adjustment to cold (as measured by length of survival) was significantly impaired in rats fed diets containing 0.5 mg. of riboflavin per kg. of diet or less.