THE EFFECT OF NUTRITIONAL STATE ON ABILITY OF THE RAT TO SWIM TO EXHAUSTION

Abstract

Following 9 days' provision of a high-protein (HPD), high-fat (HFD), or high-carbohydrate (HCD) diet (isocaloric), rats were made to swim to exhaustion in water at a temperature of 25–26 °C. Lead weight was strapped to the base of the tail at a level of 6% of body weight to increase the work load and decrease the exhaustion time. Under both ad libitum and restricted feeding conditions, animals fed the HPD had the longest exhaustion time, there being no apparent difference between exhaustion times of animals fed the HFD or HCD. Restriction of food intake increased the time to exhaustion. Provision of a meal just before swimming exercise decreased the time to exhaustion. Daily swimming for 15 minutes (training) prior to the test increased and decreased exhaustion time in HCD- and HPD-fed rats respectively with no significant effect on exhaustion time of HFD-fed rats.