Effect of a carbohydrate-rich diet on kidney ultrastructure in albino rats exposed to heat and humidity stress.

Abstract

As global temperatures continue to rise, heat stress presents significant risks to animal health, particularly affecting kidney function that is of vital importance due to its essential role in detoxification and fluid balance. This study investigates the effects of a carbohydrate rich diet (CRD) on renal health in albino rats subjected to prolonged heat and humidity stress. A total of 180 rats (90 males, 90 females) were assigned to Routine Diet (RD) and CRD groups, each further divided into no-stress, heat stress, and humidity stress subgroups. Stress exposure lasted 4 h daily for 30 days, with sample collection at 10, 20, and 30 days. The results demonstrated that heat and humidity stress significantly impacted renal biomarkers (urea, creatinine, uric acid, and BUN) in both male and female albino rats. Males generally exhibited higher serum levels of these markers compared to females, indicating greater susceptibility to stress-induced renal strain. Under no-stress conditions, CRD-fed males and females showed elevated renal markers compared to RD-fed counterparts, with females exhibiting relatively lower values. Humidity stress caused the most pronounced increase in renal markers, with RD-fed males and females reaching peak urea and BUN levels. The CRD diet partially mitigated these elevations in both sexes, although values remained significantly higher than in the no-stress group. Moreover, decapitation interval analysis revealed a consistent increase in urea, creatinine, and uric acid levels over time in both sexes, suggesting cumulative physiological stress. These findings highlight the complex interplay between diet, environmental stress, and gender in renal health, underscoring the potential of dietary strategies to mitigate stress-induced kidney damage. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these gender-specific and dietary effects.