<b>NUTRITIONAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ZINC AND BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACID (BCAA) SUPPLEMENT IN RATS: A MULTICOMPARTMENT MODELING APPROACH</b>

Abstract

<p align="justify">The influence of supplementary-branched chain amino acids (BCAA) on 65Zn metabolism in rats was investigated in this study. Nutritional indicators of Zn, as absorption, body retention and secretion, were estimated using a multicompartment model. Two groups of eight male rats were force-fed a zinc-adequate diet (control group) and a zinc-adequate diet plus 0.52 9 BCAA/kg diet during 15 days. There was no significant difference for intake of Zn, absorption (34%), intestinal transit (tso) and the leveI of Zn in the intravascular compartment (plasma). On the other hand the extravascular compartment (organs) and specific concentration of Zn per 9 of tissue decreased after experimental period (p < 0.05) The rats supplememted with BCAA secreted Zn by urine twice faster than controls, but the secrotion of zinc by endogen feces were not decreased in this group. Thus, BCAA supplement changed the kinetic of Zn, increasing the urinary secretion and the loss of Zn from the body. </p>

Keywords

• Branched chain amino acids (BCAA)
• zinc
• metabolism
• diet
• rat
• multicompartment model.