Effect of Protein on Utilization of Vitamin A in the Chick. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. At a constant level of dietary vit. A, as the dietary protein was increased, vit. A content of the liver and blood serum of the chick decreased. Also in chicks receiving purified diets containing marginal amounts of vit. A and high protein levels. symptoms of vit. A deficiency occurred sooner and mortality was increased as compared to chicks fed diets containing moderate or low amounts of protein. 2. The decreased vit. A liver storage, resulting when the dietary protein was increased, could not be correlated with changes in liver lipids, nor vit. C blood levels. 3. The ataxia, mortality and other symptoms in young vit. A-deficient chicks was neither preceded nor necessarily accompanied by an increased blood uric acid level. A high protein diet produces high blood uric acid levels regardless of amount of vit. A in the diet. 4. Regardless of dietary vit. A level, the tibia bone ash of the chicks fed the high protein diets decreased as compared to that of chicks receiving a moderate level of protein in the diet.