Effects of the Prevention of Coprophagy in the Rat

Abstract

Stock rats of weanling age, without prior depletion, when placed on a highly purified diet that is deficient in vitamin B₁₂ do not show any evidence of deficiency during the rapid growth period. On the other hand rats treated in the same manner, but prevented from eating their feces show a growth depression due to the lack of vitamin B₁₂. This growth depression is evident within the first week or two after being transferred to the deficient diet. The interpretation of this observation in terms of mammalian requirements for vitamin B₁₂ during the period of rapid growth has been discussed. The reported hypercholesterolemia in the vitamin B₁₂-deficient rats has not been confirmed under the conditions of deficiency induction that have been utilized in the present study.