Effects of physical training on tolerance to cold in rats.

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Abstract
Four groups of 10 rats were maintained for 8 weeks under the following conditions: group N: neutral environment (26[degree]C), inactive; group NA: neutral environment, active; group C: cold environment (5C), inactive; group CA: cold environment, active. The 2 active groups lived in activity cages and underwent treadmill exercise. Improved physical fitness was demonstrated by a significant resting bradycardia in relation to the untrained groups. Cold acclimation was shown by 47% higher testing metabolic rate in the cold exposed groups than in the thermoneutral groups. Tested at 0[degree]C and -10[degree]C, the metabolic response of group NA was, respectively, 13 and 12% greater than that of group N. Group NA was also able to maintain higher skin temperature on the feed during cold exposure than group N. There was no effect of physical training upon the metabolic and thermal response to noradrenaline [norepinephrine], suggesting that the enhanced capability to elevate the metabolic rate during cold stress in group NA was mainly due to an improved shivering capacity.

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