Effect of Indigestible Residue (Cellulose) on Elimination of Endogenous and Dietary Cholesterol

¹ From the Department of Clinical Science, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois

Effect of increasing the level of alpha cellulose flour in the diet from a 5% to a 20 or 25% level by dry weight on the elimination of endogenous and dietary cholesterol was studied in 6 dogs and 10 rats. The dogs were fed their meal by stomach tube once a day; the rats ate their isocaloric rations voluntarily and completely. It was found that in the dog, elimination of endogenous as well as total (endogenous + dietary) cholesterol was significantly increased by the high level of cellulose, but the calculated absorption of dietary cholesterol was not reduced significantly. In the rats, the increase in cellulose content did not alter the elimination of either endogenous or dietary cholesterol. The high level of cellulose was slightly laxative in the dogs, but not in the rats. When laxation occurs, the possibility that the absorption of endogenous as well as of dietary cholesterol will be decreased should be considered.