Amino acid fortification of bread fed at varying levels during gestation and lactation in rats
Jansen, G.R.; Monte, W.C.
Journal of Nutrition 107(2): 300-309
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 401878 Document Number: 114530
Young adult Carworth CFE rats during pregnancy and lactation were given white bread alone or with 0.3 or 0.5% L-lysine hydrochloride or with 0.5% L-lysine hydrochloride and 0.3% DL-threonine. Energy intake was 70% of voluntary intake. Weaning weight of the offspring and the weight, protein and DNA content of whole brain and major regions of the brain at weaning were estimated. With lysine all values increased significantly; threonine gave further significant increments. Restricting energy intake decreased most values independently of protein quality. Brain cellularity was significantly higher in offspring of mothers given bread with lysine and threonine than in those of rats given casein. All the variables measured in the offspring of rats given lysine- and threonine-fortified bread at 70% of free intake were significantly greater than in the young of rats given white bread to appetite though the rats on the supplemented diets had eaten 13% less protein and energy during pregnancy and lactation. The implications of the findings for practical problems in human nutrition are considered.