CHANGES IN FAT, CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN APPETITE IN VITAMIN B DEFICIENCY

Abstract

9 animals on an adequate self-selection diet of pure foodstuffs were rendered deficient in vit. B by the omission of yeast from the diet. These animals lost wt. rapidly and became inactive. The vaginal epithelium was of the dio-estrus type. All of the animals showed signs of poly-neuritis and facial dermatosis. At the height of the deficiency, the avg. daily protein intake decreased from 26 to 5 caloric %, carbohydrate intake decreased from 51 to 11 caloric %, and the fat intake increased from 23 to 84 caloric %. The carbohydrate aversion and fat craving are explained in terms of the altered metabolism of these substances during vit. B deficiency. The aversion toward protein suggests a disturbance of protein utilization which has not yet been detected by biochemical methods. Given access to yeast, the animals consumed it eagerly and thus corrected the deficiency.