Effect of Dietary Copper, Manganese, and Zinc on Nitrogen Equilibrium and Mineral Distribution Subsequent to Trauma in Mature Rats

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Following fracture of the femur, changes in nitrogen retention and mineral tissue concentrations in response to graded levels of dietary copper, manganese, and zinc were investigated. Retained nitrogen and liver copper, manganese, zinc, nitrogen and glycogen were determined prior to trauma and at 48-hour intervals for 8 days posttrauma. The excretion of nitrogen increased, and liver copper,manganese, and zinc decreased, as did liver nitrogen and glycogen in response to fracture. Increasing dietary copper, manganese, or zinc increased liver copper, manganese, or zinc, respectively, and decreased nitrogen loss by traumatized rats. The data suggest that trauma induced a change in the concentrations of liver copper, manganese, and zinc which coincided with changes in liver nitrogen and glycogen. The results indicated that subsequent to femoral fracture, the nutritional requirement for copper, manganese, and zinc for minimal nitrogen loss were higher than the NRC requirements for the mature male rat.