The effect of chromium on the hyperlipaemic action of sucrose.

Abstract

(1) Weanling rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were fed diets with either starch or sucrose as the carbohydrate source, and given either ordinary tap water to drink or tap water containing 5 ppm chromium as the acetate. (2) Weight gains were somewhat less with sucrose than with starch, and not affected by the addition of chromium. (3) In the liver, sucrose compared with starch increased the weight, the total amount of lipid, and the concentration of phospholipid, total cholesterol and esterified cholesterol. In the plasma, it increased the concentration of phospholipid, free cholesterol and particularly triglyceride. These effects of sucrose confirm previous work from this department. (4) In the livers of starch-fed rats, the addition of chromium reduced the level of triglyceride and increased the level of phospholipid. In the sucrose-fed rats, it increased the level of esterified cholesterol. (5) In the plasma, the addition of chromium increased the level of phospholipid in the starch-fed rats, and increased the level of free cholesterol in the surcrose-fed rats. As a result of this last effect, there was no longer a difference in free cholesterol levels between starch-fed and sucrose-fed rats. (6) The changes described do not support the suggestion that the effects of dietary sucrose in producing changes in lipid concentration in the liver and plasma are due to a deficiency of chromium in such diets.