Normal diet, high protein high fat diet and high carbohydrate diet were prepared and given to young male white rats to study the effects of the diets on the prostatic concentration of citric acid. Also, the effects of exogenous testosterone propionate, castration and exogenous testosterone propionate and on sexual activity were studied. The first experiment was a 60 day observation. In the controls and among the animals administered testosterone propionate, the prostate-body weight ratio was higher in the high protein, high fat diet group than in the groups fed high carbohydrate and normal diets. The prostatic citrate, however, was higher in the high carbohydrate diet group. By administration of testosterone propionate, citric acid concentration of the prostate was higher in the high protein, high fat diet group and sexual activity in this group caused a more marked increase in the prostatic citrate concentration. The second experiment was continued for 203 days. The high protein, high fat diet caused an increase in the prostate-body weight ratio and a relatively higher but insignificant concentration of prostatic citrate. Sexual activity did not cause an increase in the prostatic citrate concentration.
Concentration of the prostatic citrate can not be taken as an index of androgenic activity.
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