Oxygen availability in brain tissues after lipid meals

Abstract

The available oxygen in the hamster's brain was studied polarographically employing the platinum electrode technique. The electrodes were permanently implanted. After large lipid meals, the amount of oxygen available in the tissues was reduced. The reduction was greatest after cream and another highly saturated fat mixture. It was least after the very unsaturated oils, safflower and cod liver oils. Changes after olive, corn, cottonseed and other vegetable oils were intermediate. Cream meals containing as little as 0.9 gm of lipid/kg body weight produced significant reductions in the available oxygen in the tissues. Our studies suggest that the decrease in available oxygen in the tissues was due primarily to the amount of the saturated fatty acid in the lipid feeding.