Additive Effect of Calcium and Phosphorus on Utilization of Dietary Zinc

Abstract

Factorially designed experiments, each using 64 male albino rats, were used to investigate high and low levels each of four dietary minerals. The minerals and levels studied were zinc (18 and 42 ppm), calcium (0.3 and 1.2%), phosphorus (0.3 and 1.2%) and potassium (0.1 and 0.9%). Data for weight gains show that either high calcium or high phosphorus apparently increases the dietary requirement for zinc. Analysis of the data indicates that high calcium and high phosphorus independently cause a conditioned zinc deficiency and that this effect is additive. The higher levels of zinc produced increased zinc retention in bone, hair and liver at all levels and all combinations of calcium, phosphorus and potassium.