FOOD CONSUMPTION AND RECTAL TEMPERATURE IN RATS DURING THIAMINE DEFICIENCY AND REPLETION.

Rectal temperature in male rats fell slowly and gradually from ad libitum and pair-led control levels throughout a thiamine depletion period. During this period, food consumption dropped suddenly and sharply to a minimal level. A single oral dose of 50 μg of thiamine hydrochloride produced, within 4 hours, a significant rise (to less than control levels) in rectal temperature and an increase in food consumption within 24 hours. The increase in temperature was independent of the ingestion of food since diet was withheld during the 4 hours following thiamine administration. Subsequent feeding of control diet (containing thiamine) had not further increased the "4-hour" temperature after 24 hours. With continued feeding of control diet, rectal temperature rose to control levels after 3 days. On subsequent withdrawal of dietary thiamine from the deficient group, temperature and food consumption fell as before. When the animals were again repleted with 50 μg thiamine and deficient diet was continued, temperatur...