The changes of the total body composition, internal organs, skeletal muscles, and epididymal fat pad in rats fed protein depletion diet and 4 different recovery diets were examined.
Seventy-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 2122 gr were used, and the results were as follows:
A) After the 2 weeks of protein depletion, body weight decreased about 20,06 from the initial weight. It was mainey due to the total body lipid reduction. Among various organ weights, liver and spleen reduced 35^580´, kidney and heart reduced 18^30,0´, and muscles reduced 2^ 13 6, while brain, epididymal fat pad were not changed significantly.
In regarding protein and lipid contents of these tissues, protein in liver, lipid in muscle, and both in spleen were markedly reduced.
B) With the 2 weeks of feeding recovery diets, the increases of body weight were different among 4 groups. High-fat group gained at the highest level (67%), and high-CHO group the lowest (30,,00).
Total body composition (,´o) of the standard and high-protein groups recovered to the level of 0 day protein depletion, while protein in the high-fat group and water in the high-CHO group decreased, and fat in these 2 groups increased. Weights of organs and muscles of the high-protein and high-fat groups were similar to the standard group and those of the high-CHO group were lower than the standard group. Composition of organs and muscle in the high-protein group was similar to the standard group, while the N contents of the high-fat and high-CHO groups were lower and the lipid content of the high-fat group was higher than the standard group.
The weight and lipid content of epididymal fat pad were the highest in the high-fat group.
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