Some Effects of Acute Starvation With Hard Work on Body Weight, Body Fluids and Metabolism

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Abstract
Expts. are reported in which men starved from 2.5 to 4.5 days while performing work on the motor-driven treadmill in amts. which resulted in a total daily caloric expenditure of 3500 to 4000 cal/day. The 2.5 day fast resulted in 6.8% body wt. loss, the 4.5 day fast and 8% loss. In 12 young men the 4.5 day fast decreased the plasma volume 18% and the thiocyanate space 8%. Loss of fluid accounted for 27% of the 5.5 kg. body wt. loss. During subsequent refeeding the initial body wt. was recovered in 3-5 days. Plasma volume and thiocyanate space were 12% and 8%, respectively, above control values. These increases accounted for 30% of the wt. gain during the first 4 days of recovery. At the end of 4.5 days of starvation with hard work, one man showed unequivocal jaundice, and liver function tests demonstrated definite malfunction. The mean 1-min. serum bilirubin of 10 men increased from 0.11 mg./lOO cc. to 0.27 mg. and the total bilirubin rose from 0.76 to 1.96 mg./lOO cc. The 4-hour urobilinogen excretion increased from 1.13 to 2.96 mg. All liver function tests had returned to normal by the 3d day of recovery. Observations on 4 men who starved and worked for 2.5 days showed that: N loss was not affected by the additional caloric expenditure required by the physical work; acetone excretion in significant amts. began on the 1st day of starvation; resting blood sugar fell 15 mg./lOO cc. by the morning of the 2d day; and the resting respiratory quotient was depressed to 0.71 on the morning of the 2d day.

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