Capacity of the Rat Intestine to Absorb Cholesterol

Abstract

Capacity of the rat''s intestine to absorb dietary cholesterol was studied. At dietary cholesterol levels of from 50 to 288 mg/25 g rat/day with oleic acid (1 cc day) in the diet, the percentage of cholesterol absorption decreased as a linear function. Under the conditions specified, the capacity of the intestinal mechanism for the absorption of cholesterol in a 250 g rat is 90 mg or approximately 360 mg/kg body weight/day.