Abstract
The effect of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) on the nutritional status of Mann-Williamson rats in which bile and pancreatic juice secretions were surgically bypassed into the ileum was investigated. The rats were fed a 13% MCT diet (MCT diet) or dextrin diet with equivalent energy and nitrogen for 5 days postoperatively. Body weight gain was significantly greater on the MCT diet than the dextrin diet, and nitrogen balance was significantly higher on the MCT diet than the dextrin diet. Muscle RNA/DNA ratio and protein/DNA ratio were also higher on the MCT diet, however, there was no difference between the diets with respect to urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion. Nor were there any differences in the serum activities of GOT, GPT, or ALP on either diet. These results indicate that the diet containing MCT serves as a more efficient energy source than the diet containing dextrin alone under the experimental conditions used and that MCT stimulates protein synthesis in muscle.
