BASAL METABOLIC-RATE OF WOMEN ON THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL

Objective: To investigate the variability in basal metabolic rate (BMR ) of women taking the contraceptive pill, through sequential measureme nt over the course of one menstrual cycle. Design: Randomised. Setting : Metabolic room, School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University. Subjects and measurements: BMR of five weight-stab le women taking the contraceptive pill, was measured three to four tim es each week for a period of five consecutive weeks. BMR was measured using a Douglas bag. Results: The pattern of variation in BMR was rand om for individual subjects throughout the period of measurement. The l evel of intraindividual variation indicated by the coefficient of vari ation (CV) ranged from 2.4 to 4.87%. Conclusions: Women taking the con traceptive pill did not exhibit the cyclicity or variation in BMR obse rved in some normally ovulating subjects. BMR in women taking the cont raceptive pill could therefore be considered a 'biological constant'.