Sparing action of fats and pyruvate in the blood of rats in avitaminosis B1

IT is now generally accepted, especially through the work of Evans and Lepkovsky1, that a diet of carbohydrates accelerates the appearance of the symptoms of polineuritis in animals suffering from avitaminosis B1, whereas an excess of fats delays it, revealing an effect which is considered as a sparing action. This has been confirmed by many other workers.