EFFECT OF SATURATED VERSUS UNSATURATED FAT ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF COPPER DEFICIENCY IN RATS

The type of dietary fat, saturated versus unsaturated, may be an impor tant factor in modifying the pathogenesis of copper deficiency in rats fed fructose. We investigated if saturated fat such as beef tallow as compared with unsaturated fat such as corn oil will prevent abnormali ties related to the combination of fructose feeding and copper deficie ncy. Rats were fed copper-deficient (0.6 mu g Cu/g diet) or adequate ( 6.0 mu g Cu/g) diets containing fructose or starch as the sole dietary carbohydrate and beef tallow or corn oil as their fat source. The ''t ypical'' pathologies associated with copper deficiency in rats fed fru ctose such as anemia, pancreatic atrophy, heart hypertrophy, and liver enlargements were not prevented by the consumption of saturated fat ( beef tallow). Not only did it not prevent pathologies, but beef tallow raised hepatic iron and increased plasma cholesterol and triglyceride s, holt ever, only in rats fed fructose. Plasma triglycerides and chol esterol were also elevated by copper deficiency and fructose feeding T he effect of the interaction among dietary carbohydrate, level of copp er, and degree of saturation of fat on excess hepatic iron deposition and on metabolic and biochemical indices associated with heart-related abnormalities needs further investigation.