Effect of Adrenalectomy on the Responses of BHE Rats to Either a Sucrose or Starch Diet

The role of the adrenals in the development of the lipemic characteristic of the BHE strain of rat was studied. Male weanling rats were either adrenalectomized (ADX) or left intact and fed either a 65% starch or 65% sucrose diet. The rats were killed at 150 days of age and serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol plus hepatic lipids and enzymes (glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme and glycerophosphate dehydrogenase) were determined. Adrenalectomy did not affect the sucrose-induced rise in serum glucose and insulin levels nor did it have any marked effect on serum lipid levels. Growth and hepatic metabolism also were unaffected by adrenalectomy although diet differences were observed. Sucrose-feeding the ADX rats resulted in higher enzyme levels, higher blood lipids, greater weight gains and greater feed efficiencies than starch feeding. In spite of the importance of the adrenal hormones in the regulation of fuel utilization, we concluded that these hormones do not play an active role in the development of the lipemic tendencies by the BHE strain of rat.