Glycogen Formation in Rats. III. Diets Containing 87.5 Per Cent of Total Caloric Value in Lactose,Glucose and Sucrose. ∗

Abstract

Each diet contained 87.5 gm. of the carbohydrate, 14.7 gm. of casein (85% casein) and 4 gm. of salt mixture 185. This gave a caloric value of 3.77 cal. per gm., of which 87.5% was derived from carbohydrate and 12.5% from protein (not considering digestibility). Each diet was supplemented by vitamin feeding daily. 1

Adult rats which had served for breeding purposes until discarded, were used. The time on the test diet varied from 16 to 18 days. The food and water intake was measured. The technique followed at the end of the test period was similar to that previously described. 2

The rats fed on the lactose diet developed a diarrhea. They disliked the diet as evidenced by their scratching it from the food box, consequently we could not measure the intake accurately. As nearly as we could tell, the average daily intake was 7.9 gm., and the intake during the last 24 hours was about the same. The daily intake on the glucose diet averaged 13.3 gm. with 14.4 gm. as the last 24-hour intake. The sucrose daily intake averaged 14.3 gm., with 14.0 as the average for the last 24 hours.

The water intake on the lactose diet averaged 27 cc. per day, influenced, of course, by the diarrhea. On the glucose diet it was 13.9 cc., and on the sucrose diet 10.8 cc.

The mean body weights are given for the beginning and end of the test period:

Lactose (6 females, 4 males) 283.9 gm.—246.3—loss 37.6 gm.

Glucose (6 females, 4 males) 311.6 gm.—314.2—gain 2.6 gm.

Sucrose (3 females, 2 males) 307.8 gm.—318.7—gain 10.9 gm.

The liver glycogen averaged 3.15 ± 0.12% on the lactose diet; 4.89 ± 0.21 on the glucose, and 4.89 ± b 0.20 on the sucrose.