Growth and bone mineralisation as affected by dietary calcium, phytic acid and vitamin D

1. 1. Rats were fed various diets ranging from the normal chow, pure flour containing large amounts of phytic acid, Ca-enriched flour and mixtures of flour and normal food with various levels of calcium. 2. 2. It was found that the animals eating the pure flour grew less and were smaller. 3. 3. They suffered from hypocalcemia and had low plasma alkaline phosphatase and 25-HCC-vitamin D₃ levels. 4. 4. These animals had rib-cage deformities. 5. 5. Additional calcium in the flour improved the animals' growth and calcification. 6. 6. The mixed food did not greatly affect the animals and additional calcium did not improve growth or bone mineralisation. 7. 7. The Bedouin eat large amounts of unleavened bread containing large amounts of phytates. 8. 8. It is concluded that uptake of large amounts of phytates by the Bedouin eating unleavened bread is due to the flour and that the clinical manifestations are a direct result of the flour and not the lack of vitamin D due to covering the skin from sunlight.