Effects of multivitamin supplementation to pregnant rats on lipid metabolism in the offspring

This research examined the hypothesis that increased intake of multivitamins by pregnant rats alters lipid composition of tissues in the offspring. Fatty acid composition and total cholesterol of liver, adipose and brain were measured in pups weaned to a control diet, a vitamin deficient diet or an obesity inducing palatable diet at weaning, 8 weeks post-weaning and 12 weeks post-weaning. The effect of the high vitamin maternal diet was enhanced with age, and modified by pup diet and gender. At 12 weeks post-weaning, the high vitamin maternal diet increased saturated fatty acids and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids in liver and brain of pups weaned to the control diet, but had the opposite effect in pups weaned to the vitamin deficient or palatable diets. The results provide evidence that increasing the vitamin content of the maternal diet alters tissue lipid composition in the offspring up to 12 weeks post-weaning.