[Fasting with muscular exercise: change in body weight and nitrogen balance]

Amongst a group of 27 obese patients subjected to a 10 day fast (250 cal. with 22 Gms protein), 11 picked at random also followed a muscular exercise programme- the others serving as controls. This physical activity was well accepted and tolerated without problems. Weight loss was similar in both groups but the daily nitrogen balance in those patients performing muscular activity was less negative and tended to become positive more rapidly than in the control group. The loss of active muscle mass by protein catabolism as a result of fating was significantly less in the muscular activity group. This may indicate that muscular activity is useful in aiding adaptation to fasting and may orient weight loss preferentially towards fat mass.