Dietary carbohydrate content influences boron's effect on lipid and protein indices in rats

The aim of the study was to establish whether an excess or deficiency of dietary carbohydrates would influence the effect of boron (B) on lipid, protein, and glucose metabolism in laboratory rats. Sixty male Buffalo rats were used in the study, divided into six groups fed a control diet or a lower high-carbohydrate diet with or without a B supplement (3 mg B/kg fodder). The hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were assessed in whole-blood samples, and the total protein, albumin, creatine, glucose, total lipid, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol contents in the serum were established. The total cholesterol and triacylglycerol contents in liver lipid extracts were also measured. A low carbohydrate content in a B-supplemented diet led to an increase in the total protein and albumin contents in the serum of the rats compared to the levels for the rats on the control and high-carbohydrate B supplemented diets. Under conditions of an excess or deficiency of carbohydrates in the diet, B did not significantly influence the cholesterol and total lipid contents in the serum. Boron's influence on the other metabolic indexes (glucose, HDL cholesterol, and triacylglycerol contents in the serum; cholesterol and triacylglycerol contents in the liver) was unaffected by the carbohydrate content in the diet.