The Disaccharide Effect of Sucrose Feeding on Excretion of Intravenously Injected [1,2-3H]Aldosterone and Conjugated Glucuronic Acid in Normotensive Rats

The hypothesis tested was that feeding rats sucrose rather than invert sugar (50:50 mixture of glucose and fructose) or comstarch would result in a more rapid excretion of glucuronides and tritium from intravenously injected [1,2-3H]aldosterone. Thirty 56-d-old male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were fed for 8 wk one of three diets containing 45% of dietary energy from sucrose, invert sugar or comstarch; 15% of energy was from protein and 40% from fat. Body weights and systolic blood pressures were measured weekly. After 60 d of feeding the diets ad libitum, all rats were injected intravenously with [1,2-3H]aldosterone and the percent recovery of tritium in both urine and feces was determined over the next 4 d. Urinary and fecal excretion of both free and conjugated glucuronic acid was determined over those 4 d. Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium (mg/d) was also determined. There were no differences between groups in food or water intakes, body weights, systolic blood pressures, daily fecal weights and daily urine volumes. The cornstarch-fed group excreted less sodium and potassium than did the other groups (P< 0.05). The sucrose-fed group had a greater 4-d excretion of tritium (urinary + fecal) than did the invert sugar- or cornstarch-fed groups (P< 0.01). The sucrose-fed group had a greater percentage of excreted glucuronic acid that was conjugated (urinary + fecal) than did the invert sugar- or cornstarch-fed groups (P< 0.05). These results tended to confirm the hypothesis.