Basal Metabolic Rate in Japanese Female Endurance Athletes.

The basal metabolic rate (BMR) of female endurance athletes was evaluated in relation to the body composition and nutritional status. The subjects were 16 long-distance runners mean (SD) age: 19.1 (2.4) y, height: 160.2 (4.5) cm, weight: 48.2 (4.1) kg, body fat: 16.6 (3.3)%, 8 rowers ((20.6) (1.2) y, 162.8 (3.2) cm, 57.0 (5.6) kg, 18.2 (4.6)%), and 19 sedentary non-athletic controls (20.1 (0.7) y, 159.7 (5.1) cm, 51.0 (5.2) kg, 23.7 (2.8)%). All subjects were eumenorrheic (estradiol: 47.2 (35.9) pg/ml). BMR (kcal/day) was significantly higher in the rowers (1, 351 (170) kcal/day) than in the sedentary controls (1, 191 (165) kcal/day), but not in the runners (1, 246 (121) kcal/day). BMR adjusted by body weight was significantly higher in the runners (26.0 (3.1) kcal/kg BW/day) than in the sedentary controls (23.3 (2.3) kcal/kg BW/day), but not in the rowers (23.9 (3.9) kcal/kg BW/day). BMR adjusted by lean body mass (LBM) did not differ among the three groups (runners: 31.1 (3.6), rowers: 29.1 (3.8), sedentary subjects: 30.7 (3.3) kcal/kg LBM/day). Body weight and LBM were significantly correlated with BMR (kcal/day)(r=0.43, r=0.51, p<0.01, respectively) in all the subjects. However, the energy intake (kcal/kg BW/day) and protein intake (g/kg BW/day) were correlated with BMR (kcal/kg BW/day)(r=0.52, r=0.69, p<0.01, respectively) only in the athletes, and not in the sedentary controls. These data suggest that BMR (kcal/day) in female athletes with eumenorrhea was influenced by both the body dimensions and intake of energy and protein.