Some Effects of Acute Starvation With Hard Work on Body Weight, Body Fluids and Metabolism

Abstract

Expts. are reported in which men starved from 2.5 to 4.5 days while performing work on the motor-driven treadmill in amts. which resulted in a total daily caloric expenditure of 3500 to 4000 cal/day. The 2.5 day fast resulted in 6.8% body wt. loss, the 4.5 day fast and 8% loss. In 12 young men the 4.5 day fast decreased the plasma volume 18% and the thiocyanate space 8%. Loss of fluid accounted for 27% of the 5.5 kg. body wt. loss. During subsequent refeeding the initial body wt. was recovered in 3-5 days. Plasma volume and thiocyanate space were 12% and 8%, respectively, above control values. These increases accounted for 30% of the wt. gain during the first 4 days of recovery. At the end of 4.5 days of starvation with hard work, one man showed unequivocal jaundice, and liver function tests demonstrated definite malfunction. The mean 1-min. serum bilirubin of 10 men increased from 0.11 mg./lOO cc. to 0.27 mg. and the total bilirubin rose from 0.76 to 1.96 mg./lOO cc. The 4-hour urobilinogen excretion increased from 1.13 to 2.96 mg. All liver function tests had returned to normal by the 3d day of recovery. Observations on 4 men who starved and worked for 2.5 days showed that: N loss was not affected by the additional caloric expenditure required by the physical work; acetone excretion in significant amts. began on the 1st day of starvation; resting blood sugar fell 15 mg./lOO cc. by the morning of the 2d day; and the resting respiratory quotient was depressed to 0.71 on the morning of the 2d day.