STUDIES IN THE PHYSIOLOGY OF EXERCISE

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Abstract
Basal metabolism data gathered in the latter 3 yrs. of a 5-yr. study on 3 [male] dogs observed in and out of exercised states are presented and analyzed. Dietary additions to support body weight during exercise were marked by increases in basal metabolism; this is in accord with the findings of others. When care is taken to distinguish between effects due to exercise and those due to increased food intake, the observations lend further evidence to the view that an extended period of training which puts the animal in excellent athletic condition is without noticeable effect on basal metabolism per sq. m. per 24 hrs. It is proposed that the high degree of relaxation acquired by the trained animal may explain why it is possible to have muscular hypertrophy without increased basal metabolic rate. Marked spontaneous fluctuations around averages often much lower than those reported for normal dogs are noted. A position is developed which would explain the appearance of greater fluctuations coincident with the attainment of more nearly true basal conditions. There is some indication that the fluctuations are cyclic in nature. Whatever their cause it is clear that any study of the effects of drugs, hormones or other factors on basal metabolism must in some way reckon with these fluctuations. In the present work this was done (1) by extending the observations over a long period of time; (2) by holding at least 1 and usually 2 dogs as untreated controls to reflect the nature, trend, and extent of the spontaneous variations.

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