[Vitamin B1 content of liver, brain and muscles of pregnant and nonpregnant rats with different vitamin B1 supplies]

The purpose of this publication was to examine the effects of a wide variation of dietary vitamin B1 supply (0-12,000 mg vitamin B1 per kg diet) to gravid and non gravid rats on their vitamin B1 content in liver, brain and muscle. The experiment was designed with 176 (2 x 11 x 8) female Sprague-Dawley-rats. Additionally, the organs and tissues were tested as criteria for requirement recommendations. The animals were sacrificed on the 20th day of gravidity of the pregnant rats. Before gravidity the vitamin-B1-contents were 4.7 micrograms/g liver, 2.5 micrograms/g brain and 1.5 micrograms/g muscle. At the end of the experiment the gravid rats had a 19 per cent higher liver content than the non gravids. With a dietary supply of 8-10 ppm vitamin B1 the liver content plateaued until about 120 ppm. Vitamin B1 concentration in brain was about 2 micrograms/g and gravidity was of no effect. Vitamin B1 concentration in muscle was significantly influenced by both factors and saturation was reached at 1.3 and 1.7 micrograms/g muscle. These data showed that the response of the liver to dietary supply was the most sensitive and should therefore be considered in requirements. The requirement for non gravid animals is therefore 4 mg vitamin B1 per kg diet at minimum, gravid animals should be supplied by 7 mg per kg diet.