Influence of fast, body weight and diet on serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids concentrations in the aging rat.

The present study was performed to document factors playing a role in the age-related increase of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids in male WISTAR rats. In 59 and 122 week old rats, serum concentrations of all three parameters were significantly higher than those determined in younger rats (15-17 weeks of age). Serum triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations were higher in post absorptive than in fasting state. In mature rats of same age (59 weeks), mean concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids were significantly higher in the heavier animals than in the others. A strong correlation could be established between body weight and serum cholesterol or triglycerides of these animals. The composition of diet appears to play a role in serum cholesterol concentration but not in serum triglycerides concentration in old rats (59-65 weeks of age). This effect is demonstrated even if daily caloric intake and daily body weight gain of old rats (40-50 weeks of age) were not significantly different with both diets tested (2900 and 3250 cal/kg). In conclusion old Wistar rats develop increased concentrations of serum lipids parameters.