The effect of sodium chloride ingestion on food intake and on fat deposition in male rats

Abstract

1. A 21 d slaughter trial was done using weanling male rats offered sodium chloride added at 10, 20 and 30 g/kg to a nutritionally adequate, control diet containing 13 g NaCl/kg, or added to the drinking-water at 5, 10, or 15 g NaCl/l. Food and drinking-water with or without NaCl were offered ad lib. and their intakes were measured..2. NaCl in the food reduced food intake by 10–15%; NaCl in solution reduced food intake only when added at the 15 g/l level; the reduction was 25%..3. NaCl increased the fluid intake of the rats; for NaCl in the food the increments ranged from 23 to 44%; for NaCl in the drinking-water they ranged from 44 to 229%..4. Body fat was significantly reduced by 20 and 30 g NaCl/kg added to the control diet, indicating a reduction in the efficiency of fat synthesis. Comparable amounts of NaCl taken in the drinking-water had a negligible effect on fat deposition..5. It is suggested that NaCl in the food produces hypodipsia, i.e. a failure to drink an optimal amount of water, causing changes in the electrolyte balance which reduce food intake and progressively reduce the efficiency of fat synthesis.