Swimming Compared to Cold for Eliciting Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Mice

Abstract
Exposure of mice to water of either 28 or 20° stimulated in about 2 min a maximal oxygen consumption value (12–130 ml/kg/min) similar to swimming in thermoneutral (36°) water. 20° water was considered an excessive stress because of a relatively rapid decline in rectal temperature of 1.2°/min which resulted in metabolic depression. Respiratory exchange ratios during stress in 21% O2 averaged 0.94 suggesting submaximal loads on the aerobic system. During the additional stress of hypoxia (12% O2) R rose above 1.00 possibly indicating a true maximal aerobic stress. The ability of these tests to detect aerobic defects was demonstrated by the 26% lower VRO2max in mice breathing 12% O2 during stress as compared to those in 21% O2. It seems both the swimming and cold stress tests may be used interchangeably. Each is of short duration and neither require training.

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