A study on basal metabolism of athletes : II. On seasonal variation in basal metabolism of the girl student

Abstract

Seasonal variation of basal metabolism (BM) and resting metabolism (RM) was studied on four girl students in a tennis club and four ordinary girl students in the Kyoto woman's university and the sex difference in the metabolism was discussed by comparing this with the result reported previously (the report I). The result obtained are as follows: 1) Average value of BM throughout the whole year was 34.4 Cal/m^2/hr in female athletes, being higher than that of female nonetheless (30.8Cal/m^2/hr). This average value of BM was 12% lower than that of male athletes, and 15% less in female nonetheless than that of male nonetheless. 2) BM and RM were increased in winter and decreased in summer. The extent of this seasonal variation in BM amounted to about 15% for female athletes and 17% for female nonathletes in comparison with the annual mean value. 3) The metabolism showed the lowest level in the temperature range of 20-25℃ for both athletes arid nonathletes, and below this range it was increased significantly. 4) This seasonal change was demonstrated to be due exclusively to an alteration of metabolism of internal organs. The skeletal muscle in female would apparently not undergo a metabolic change in accordance with seasons so much as male.