Alterations of selected iron management parameters and activity in food-restricted female Wistar rats (animal anorexia models)

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of food-restricted diets (anorexia models) on iron management and activity of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 48 rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 control (K) and 5 testing groups (K/2, GI, GII, GIII, GIV). K was fed ad libitum. K/2 received half the portion of the diet of K. The other groups received 100 % of the diet eaten by K, but with different models of food restriction: GI—1 day on, 1 day starvation; GII—2 days on, 2 days starvation; GIII—3 days on, 3 days starvation; and GIV—4 days on, 4 days starvation. As a result, all testing groups ate half of the diet consumed by the control group. The concentrations of iron in selected tissues, ferritin, and selected iron management parameters in blood were examined, as well as the animals’ activities associated with food craving. RESULTS: The animal anorexia models used in this study had a significant influence on the blood concentrations of hemoglobin (p < 0.01), hematocrit (p < 0.05), RBC (p < 0.05), iron levels in liver (p < 0.05), kidney (p < 0.001), and heart (p < 0.05), the serum ferritin concentration (p < 0.001) and the rats activity (p < 0.001); whereas there was no influence on the other parameters. Generally, the statistically negative effects of starvation models on iron management parameters and activity of animals were observed. However, these effects were dependent on the model of anorexia more than on the quantity of food intake. CONCLUSIONS: The negative effect of food deprivation on iron deficiency and rat activities were observed in all groups; however, the strongest effect was noticed in those animals subject to chronic starvation. Acute deprivations caused the reduction of activity in the rats, however, chronic starvation caused an increase in the activity of the first phase of the experiment, followed by a decline in the subsequent phase. It is possible that stress and frustration as well as depression may be caused by insufficient food intake, and as a result, by iron deficiency in a diet similar to human anorexia. However, more animal/human comparison studies are necessary.