Fat feeding and cholesterol absorption

IN a previous paper [Cook, 1936] it was shown that with growing rats cholesterol is absorbed only in the presence of free fat in the diet, the cholesterol "fatty" liver being induced solely under these conditions.The following experiments were carried out to test whether the amount of cholesterol absorbed could be increased by raising the quantity of fat in the diet. DIET AND ANIMALSThe diets fed to the animals were made up of the same basic constituents as described previously [Cook, 1936, Table I].The fat (arachis oil) was given in percentages of the basic diet as 15 % or "normal synthetic", 20 and 30 %.The fat displaced some of the carbohydrate in the higher concentrations.These percentages are reckoned on the basic constituents.Actually the 30 % fat diet for example contained 30 g. of fat in 110 g. of food, the extra 10 g. being made up of the vitamin supplements.Alcohol-extracted caseinogen was used.The cholesterol (B.D.H.), 2 g. per 110 g. of food, was mixed with the oil and heated on a water-bath for some minutes and then mixed while still hot with the other dietary constituents.There was too much cholesterol for complete solution in the oil at room temperatures but the sterol is intimately mixed with the oil by the above procedure.The calorie value of the diets per 100 g. is for the 15 % control diet 434 Cal., 20% 457 Cal. and 30 % 502 Cal.For the diets plus cholesterol 15 % 426 Cal., 20 % 448 Cal. and 30 % 494 Cal.No calorigenic value is given to