Abstract
Lack of accord between infant feeding practice and metabolic principles has led to the present investigation. The effects of natural acid- and base-forming diets on the growth and metabolism of young rats have been studied from the physical, chemical and pathological standpoints.
Comparative studies were made on 2 groups of 22 and 25 young albino rats weighing between 30 and 35 gm. Litters of the same stock and age were maintained on acid- and base-forming dietaries, in sunlight and in darkness, during all the seasons.
At the end of 28 weeks the dietary acidity and alkalinity showed marked effect on the animals. The acid-forming diet depressed on the average the serum phosphorus from 6.1 to 5.7, the alkaline reserve from 48 to 44 vol. per cent, and total base from, 148 to 137 with a compensatory rise in the chloride from 280 to 305 and cholesterol from 140 to 150. The base-forming diet produced the converse changes, serum phosphorus from 6.1 to 7.5, alkaline reserve from 48 to 56 vol. per cent, total base from 148 to 154 vol. per cent. The albumin-globulin ratios, percentage fat and iodine numbers of the fat were all normal. The hemotological data were also unaltered in both groups.
The animals maintained on acid-forming diets showed rickets clinically and histologically while those fed on base-forming diets showed normal bones. The animals on the base-forming diet in particular showed the greater percentage of ash, 61%, and had heavier bones while those on the acid-forming diet showed 54% of ash according to analyses of the femora. The animals that had been exposed to the light showed a higher ash content, 54% compared with 49% of those in darkness. The rats on base-forming diets showed a more marked gain in weight, 17 gm. per week as compared with 7 gm. per week for the animals on the acid-forming diets.
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