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Effect of Feeding Polyhydric Alcohols on Tissue Lipids and the Resistance of Rats to Extreme Cold

Nutrition Branch, Food Division, U. S. Army Natick Laboratories and U. S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts

Three polyhydric alcohols, propylene glycol (PG), 1,3-butanediol (BD), and glycerol are being investigated as synthetic energy-yielding food compounds. These polyols were fed to growing rats within 2 environments in order to assess their relative calorie potential for growth, and to study comparative responses on epididymal adipose tissue and liver lipids. In addition, resistance to extreme cold (- 20°) was also measured. Weight gain was lower in rats fed BD or PG diets for 4 weeks, but was similar to that of controls when growth was calculated on a per unit food or calorie intake basis. Epididymal adipose tissue was lower in the groups fed BD and PG. Liver lipids and liver cholesterol increased in the rats fed PG. A lowered resistance to intense cold was exhibited in both BD and PG groups, which may indicate that the lowered fat stores of these animals were a causative factor in this response. Liver cholesterol was reduced by moderate cold exposure (5°) only in rats fed PG. The rats fed the glycerol diets did not show any of these metabolic changes observed in the groups fed BD or PG.

Manuscript received 2 December 1965.