Effect of short-term vitamin E deficiency on guinea pig skeletal muscle myoglobin

Abstract

Myoglobin concentration was determined in gastrocnemius and masseter muscles of guinea pigs maintained up to 15 days on vitamin E-deficient and vitamin E-supplemented diets. A statistically significant increase in myoglobin was noted in muscles of animals on the deficient diet for 15 days. That the increase was real and not apparent was attested by studies of total nitrogen, noncollagen nitrogen, percentage of solids and muscle wet weight, all of which were the same in control and experimental muscles. Histological sections and creatine excretion studies confirmed the impression of mild, incipient nutritional dystrophy.