Creatine Metabolism in Vitamin E Deficiency.

Abstract

Normal and vitamin E-deficient rabbits were killed at varying time intervals following the injection of glycine-1-C14. The concentration and specific activities of kidney glycocyamine, liver creatine, skeletal muscle creatine and heart creatine were determined. Vitamin E deficiency led to an elevated concentration of liver creatine, to a reduced concentration of skeletal muscle creatine and did not influence the concentration of kidney glycocyamine or heart creatine. The renewal rate of liver creatine and skeletal muscle creatine was increased in vitamin E-deficient rabbits. The renewal rate of heart creatine was considerably greater than the renewal rate of skeletal muscle creatine and was unaffected by vitamin E deficiency. In vitamin E deficient rabbits the rate of creatine synthesis was increased and the turnover rate of skeletal muscle creatine was increased.