Do highly physically active females have a lowered basal metabolic rate?

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Studies indicate lower energy intake than expenditure in female athletes.
• A hypothesis suggests a depressed basal metabolic rate (BMR) may explain this discrepancy.
• This study investigates the metabolic rate of physically active females.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure basal metabolic rate (BMR) in physically extremely active females.
• To determine if female athletes exhibit a depressed BMR compared to controls.
• To assess the validity of BMR depression as an explanation for energy balance in female athletes.

Main Methods:

• Basal metabolic rate (BMR) was measured using indirect calorimetry.
• Study participants included 8 female dancers (physically active) and 7 female musicians (controls with low physical activity).
• Measurements included body weight, height, skinfold thickness, and total body potassium.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in basal metabolic rate (BMR) was observed between female athletes (dancers) and controls.
• The findings do not support the hypothesis of a lowered BMR in female athletes.
• Estimated energy intake relative to expenditure remains unexplained by BMR in this cohort.

Conclusions:

• The study found no evidence for a depressed basal metabolic rate (BMR) in female athletes.
• A lowered BMR is not a likely explanation for the observed energy intake-expenditure gap in female athletes.
• Further research is needed to understand the factors influencing energy balance in this population.