A mechanism by which helium increases metabolism in small mammals

Abstract

The oxygen consumption of male Long-Evans rats was determined at three different ambient temperatures in air and in an equivalent helium-oxygen mixture. It was found that when the ambient temperature is near the skin temperature of the rat, the effect of helium is insignificant. If the ambient temperature is lowered, helium induces an increased metabolism over air at the same temperature. Since helium has a thermal conductivity about six times greater than nitrogen, it is concluded that the accelerated metabolism is in response to the greater heat loss in the presence of helium and the magnitude of this response is proportional to the thermal gradient between the animal and the environment.