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The Effect of Vitamin B Deficiency on the Intestinal Absorption of Galactose in the Rat¹

Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Studies of the intestinal absorption of galactose were carried out in thirty-eight litter-mate pairs of rats in which one member of the pair received a diet deficient in the vitamin B complex, whereas the other member received the same diet supplemented with brewer's yeast. Intestinal absorption was determined by analysis of the unabsorbed sugar in the gastrointestinal tract 1 hour after its oral ingestion. The rate of intestinal absorption of the pair-fed litter-mate controls averaged 35% more than that of the deficient animals. Analysis of the gastric residue in the animals indicated that the results were not affected by the rate of gastric emptying since this was approximately the same in the two groups of animals. Blood galactose levels 1 hour after the ingestion of the sugar were used as indirect measures of intestinal absorption. The blood galactose levels also indicated an impairment of intestinal absorption in the vitamin B complex deficient animals.

This investigation was supported by a grant from the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation.

Manuscript received 29 June 1942.