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Glucose Tolerance in Zinc-deficient Rats1

D. G. Hendricks and A. W. Mahoney

Nutrition and Food Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of zinc deficiency on glucose tolerance (GT) in the rat. In experiment 1, twenty-four male rats initially weighing 200 g were fed low zinc (1.5 ppm Zn) or zinc-supplemented (50 ppm Zn) diets. An abnormal elevation in blood glucose was observed, in the rats fed the low zinc diet, following the second of two intraperitoneal (IP) glucose doses administered 2 hours apart. The blood glucose levels in zinc-deficient and zinc-supplemented rats were not significantly different when the glucose dose was administered orally. In experiment 2, twenty-four weanling female rats were fed the low zinc or zinc-supplemented diets. As soon as an impaired GT to a second IP glucose dose was observed, six zinc-deficient rats were switched to the supplemented diet and pair-fed to the remaining six deficient rats. These rats had a normal GT within 1 week. The six zinc-supplemented rats, which were switched to the deficient diet, had a GT which was no different from their pair-fed zinc-supplemented mates for at least 3 weeks. These studies show that zinc-deficient rats have a significantly (P < 0.01) abnormal GT to an IP glucose dose but not to an oral dose. Zinc supplementation corrects the GT impairment within 1 week.

KEY WORDS: • zinc deficiency • glucose tolerance • trace elements

1 Published with the approval of the Director of the Utah State Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal article no. 1127.

Manuscript received 27 January 1972.




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Copyright © 1972 by American Society for Nutrition