ON RAT SERUM AMYLASE: II. THE INFLUENCE OF DIET ON LEVELS OF THE ENZYME

Abstract

The relationship between food consumption and rat serum amylase previously reported has been further investigated, this time with the use of synthetic diets. With high carbohydrate diets neither sucrose nor corn starch exerted any significant influence on the rat serum amylase level. A high concentration of protein in the diet produced a highly significant decrease in the activity of the enzyme. On the other hand, a high fat diet resulted in a highly significant elevation of serum amylase. The effect of fat was proportional to concentration up to a limiting value. In diets which lacked carbohydrate or when the carbohydrate was completely or largely indigestible, levels of the enzyme were depressed significantly below normal. With protein-free diets, a regimen consisting largely of fat and carbohydrate, enzyme levels were depressed significantly when sucrose was used, whereas amylase values were normal when starch was used as the carbohydrate.