Fat-Free Mass Can Be Utilized to Assess Resting Energy Expenditure for Male Athletes of Different Body Size

Abstract

The fat-free mass (FFM) of athletes is typically large, and thus the FFM is often utilized to estimate their resting energy expenditure (REE). While the proportional contribution of organ-tissues to the total influence of FFM on REE is known for untrained individuals and female athletes, the extent to which this is valid for male athletes is unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the contribution of the components of FFM to REE in male athletes. Fifty-seven male athletes participated in this study. REE was assessed by indirect calorimetry and body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The athletes were equally divided into three groups based on FFM: Small (S), Medium (M), and Large (L). When measured REE (REEm) was compared with REE estimated (REEe) based on the four organ-tissue compartments with set metabolic rates, REEm and REEe had a strong association (r=0.76, p<0.001). In addition, the absolute value of total REE became larger in accordance with body size (S: 1,643±144, M: 1,865±140, and L: 2,060±156 kcal/d) accompanied by increases in mass of all four organ-tissue compartments as body size increased. The consistency of REE/FFM in male athletes in spite of the difference in body size can be explained by the steadiness among the three groups of the relative contribution of each organ-tissue compartment to the FFM. Based on these results, the FFM is the major determinant of REE regardless of body size in male athletes.