Influence of age and milk diet on cadmium absorption from the gut

Abstract

Cadmium absorption was studied in different age groups of rats (1, 3, 6, and 52 weeks) fed milk or standard rat diet by determining the whole body retention of orally applied 115mCdCl 2. The whole body retention curves determined over 2 weeks after the 115mCd administration showed highest values in newborn rats. All animals on the milk diet had higher retention values than controls. Within each diet group the retention curves declined with age and the lowest values were obtained in the oldest group of animals. These results indicate that age and diet independently influence cadmium absorption and that the highest values in the newborn most probably result from a combined effect of age and milk diet.