Premium
Phytase supplementation increases food efficiency ratios, performance activity and body composition in rats fed a low zinc diet
Author(s) -
Scrimgeour Angus,
Marchitelli Louis,
Whicker Jered,
Young Andrew J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.697.11
Subject(s) - phytase , phytic acid , chemistry , composition (language) , zinc , zoology , limiting , phosphorus , food science , endocrinology , medicine , biology , linguistics , philosophy , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , engineering
Phytic acid forms insoluble complexes with nutritionally essential minerals, including Zn. Addition of microbial phytase to low Zn diets improves Zn status and bone strength. The present study aimed to observe effects of phytase supplementation on food efficiency ratios (FER), body composition and activity in rats fed a high phytic acid, low Zn diet. Rats (n=72) were fed moderately Zn‐deficient (5ppm) diets either with (ZnLO+P) or without (ZnLO) 1,500U phytase/kg, or a Zn‐adequate (30ppm, ZnAD) diet for 9‐weeks, and were divided into voluntary exercise (EX) or sedentary (SED) groups, in a 3x2 design. Both phytase‐ and Zn‐supplementation increased the FER (P<0.01 compared to ZnLO). The ZnLO+P and ZnAD rats ran 56–75 km more distance than ZnLO rats ( ns ), with the ZnLO+P rats running more km/week (P<0.05) than the ZnLO rats by week 6. In vivo DXA analyses indicated significant phytase (P<0.01) and activity (P<0.02) effects on bone area (BA), but these effects were independent of each other. Zn‐supplementation of ZnLO diets increased BA, BMC and BMD, irrespective of activity. Voluntary running rats exhibit decreased BA and BMC, regardless of diet. Body fat (%) was reduced and lean body mass (%) was increased in EX rats, but neither was influenced by Zn‐ or phytase‐supplementation. This data suggest that if dietary Zn is limiting, supplemental phytase may have beneficial effects on FER, performance activity and body composition.