Effect of vitamin and mineral complex enrichment of diet on physiological parameters and behavioral reactions of laboratory animals in experimental conditions of the Arctic Zone

Abstract

Nutrition optimization by providing workers with specialized products enriched with vitamin and mineral components has great importance in solving problems in the health condition of workers in the Arctic zone. Objective: to evaluate the effect of vitamin-mineral complex (VMC) containing vitamins (А, D, В1, В2, В3, В6, В12 and C) and minerals (Fe, I, Se) on physiological indicators and indicators of orientative-research behavior of laboratory animals which characterize the adaptation process. Object of the study: white laboratory rats of «Wistar» type, organized into 4 groups: two experimental groups, kept in conditions of low air temperature (4–6 °C) and unusual photoperiodism, which received VMC with the diet, and two control groups, where animals did not receive VMC. One of them was maintained under «Northern Territories» conditions, the second — under comfortable conditions (usual photoperiodism and temperature +22…+24 °C). Indicators of body weight and temperature and functional activity of the nervous system were studied using the «Open Field» method. Statistical analysis was performed using standard application programs Statistica 10.0 with calculation of median (Me) and percentile interval. Acceptable level of reliability of the results was considered to be the probability of differences of 95 % and higher (p ≤0.05). The animals of the experimental groups showed constancy of temperature balance, statistically significantly lower anxiety level indicators, higher level of emotional activity compared to the animals of the control group. The gender peculiarities of anxiety indices were revealed, which were more pronounced in males, whose research activity was increased in the conditions of «polar night» and sharply decreased in the conditions of «polar day». The obtained stress-protective effect of intake of VMC containing daily norm of vitamins (C, Е, В1, В2, В3, В6, В9, В12, D3, carotene) and minerals (zinc, iron, iodine, selenium) indicates the safety and high significance of the use of VMC in the diet of shift workers in the Arctic zone.