Effects of acute starvation on vitamin A status in rats

Maintenance of vitamin A stores in the body is dependent on a number of basic metabolic processes. These processes, such as protein and carbohydrate metabolism, are disrupted in acute starvation, and, as a result, alterations in vitamin A status may result. We investigated this possibility in 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats. The rats were starved for 24, 48, and 72 hr but had free access to water. At 24 hours of starvation, the plasma retinol concentration was depressed, but not significantly so. After 48 and 72 hours of starvation, however, the plasma retinol concentration decreased to less than half of the control values (61 +/- 4 vs 124 +/- 12 nmol/dl at 72 hours, mean +/- SEM, (p less than 0.005). The hepatic retinoid (retinyl esters + retinol) concentration (nmol/g liver) was increased at 24 and 48 hours of starvation compared to controls (p less than 0.05), and by 72 hours the concentration was 56% greater in starved rats than in fed controls (p less than 0.001). The total hepatic retinoid content (mumol/total liver) was decreased moderately at all periods of starvation compared to controls (p less than 0.05). In both starved and fed animals, the total hepatic content per 100 g body weight, a measure of total vitamin A reserves, was statistically the same. These results demonstrate that acute starvation in rats alters the vitamin A equilibrium between the plasma and hepatic stores without affecting the overall vitamin A reserves.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)