Ameliorative value of carbohydrate and electrolytes in arctic survival.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Four groups of 7 meneach were subjected to survival conditions for 3 days in the winter arctic. One group fasted completely, the 2nd received 150 meq/man per day NaHCO3, the 3rd received 500 kcal/man per day sucrose, and the 4th received both 150 meq NaHCO3 and 500 kcal sucrose. Sucrose supplementation diminished ketonuria and hypoglycemia. Sodium supplementation minimized dehydration, as evidenced by a lesser weight loss. Sodium and sucrose supplementation together significantly ameliorated some of the metabolic consequences of fasting in the cold. In a further experiment, 3 groups of 6 men each were subjected to a 7-day survival situation in which 1 group fasted, the 2nd group received 500 kcal as sucrose and 150 meq NaHCO3/man per day, and the 3rd group 500 kcal/man per day as a pemmicanlike meat bar which is a component of current survival rations. Hypoglycemia, ketonuria, acidosis, and dehydration were similar (and severe) in both the fasting and pemmican-eating groups; these symptoms were significantly less in the sucrose-plus-electrolyte group.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: