Protein utilization in correlation to protein intake.

In a 14-day experiment, weaned and adult rats were given ad libitum isocaloric diets with a mounting casein content (5, 10, 15, 25 and 40% by weight) and growth parameters of protein biological value, PER and NPR, and the utilization parameters NPU (body protein) and LPU (liver protein) were determined together with phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (gluconeogenetic enzyme) and pyruvate kinase (glycolytic enzyme) activity in the animals' liver. The decrease in all the biological value parameters in weaned rats on 25% and 40% casein diets and in adult rats on 15%, 25% and 40% casein diets shows that these concentrations are too high for the organism. The decrease in PER and diminished weight and body and liver nitrogen increments in both age groups in animals with a low protein intake is evidence that 5% casein is an inadequate concentration. The optimum diet for weaned rats is thus a 15% casein diet and for adult rats a 10% casein diet, as confirmed by the linear correlation between weight increments, body and liver nitrogen and protein intake and also by gluconeogenetic enzyme activity. Under the given experimental conditions the study is a contribution to the determination of optimum physiological doses of proteins.