Influence of dietary fat on nutritive utilization of protein in intestinally resected rats

The effects of different types of dietary fat on the digestive and metabolic utilization of protein were studied in rats with 50% resection of the distal small intestine and in sham-operated controls one month after surgery. The digestive utilization of protein was not significantly affected in intact animals when olive oil was replaced by butter as the dietary source of fat. In resected rats given either type of diet the apparent digestibility coefficient of protein declined significantly in comparison to intact controls. Intestinal resection decreased the retention of nitrogen significantly in rats given olive oil. The replacement of 2/3 of the dietary supply of olive oil with 1/3 medium chain triglycerides and 1/3 sunflower seed oil improved the metabolic utilization of protein in comparison to resected rats fed olive oil or butter as the only source of dietary fat. However, the addition of ursodeoxycholic acid to the diet containing equal parts of olive oil, medium chain triglycerides and sunflower seed oil failed to improve the metabolic utilization of protein in comparison to that seen in rats given olive oil only. Serum concentrations of total protein, urea and creatinine, albeit with slight changes in the first, remained within normal limits. Despite the lower retention of nitrogen in resected rats, these animals maintained homeostasis without resorting to muscular protein.