Effect of L-lactic acid on calcium absorption in rats fed omeprazole.

We examined the effect of L-lactic acid on calcium absorption in male Wistar rats made achlorhydric by dietary omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor. The dietary omeprazole intake (0.03 g/100 g of diet) increased the gastric pH and decreased the apparent calcium absorption ratio. Dietary famotidine (0.03 g/100 g of diet), an H2-receptor antagonist, and lower doses of omeprazole (0.005 or 0.01 g/100 g of diet) did not affect the gastric pH or the calcium absorption. In a second experiment, dietary lactic acid (0.5, 1.0, or 2.5 g/100 g of diet) increased the intestinal calcium absorption dose dependently in rats fed omeprazole (0.03 g/100 g of diet). The gastric pH was significantly decreased only in the rats fed higher doses of lactic acid (1.0, or 2.5 g/100 g of diet). In a third experiment, a dietary sour milk beverage containing lactic acid (0.5 g/100 g of diet) increased the intestinal calcium absorption, but did not affect the gastric pH in rats fed omeprazole (0.03 g/100 g of diet). Although the significance of gastric acid in terms of overall calcium absorption is not known, under the present experimental conditions, the inhibition of gastric acid secretion by dietary omeprazole decreased the apparent calcium absorption, and the dietary lactic acid prevented the calcium absorption in rats fed omeprazole.