L. Benthem et al., METHODS FOR MEASUREMENT OF ENERGY-EXPENDITURE AND SUBSTRATE CONCENTRATIONS IN SWIMMING RATS, Physiology & behavior, 56(1), 1994, pp. 151-159
A measuring system is described for the determination of oxygen consum
ption (V-O2) and carbon dioxide production (V-CO2) in swimming rats. V
-O2 and V-CO2 were measured by means of an O-2-analyzer (Ametek S3A) a
nd a mass spectrometer (Balzers QMG 511), respectively, combined with
a gas flow meter. The measurements were made in a 5-1 metabolic chambe
r on top of a swimming pool in which a water flow of 0.22 mis was main
tained. The rats were fitted with an indwelling catheter with its tip
at the entrance of the right atrium for the repeated determination of
energy substrate and hormone concentrations, before, during, and after
swimming. The inaccuracy of the V-O2, and V-CO2, measurements was 0.1
8% and 0.31% of the reading, respectively; the Imprecision was 2.15% a
nd 2.59%. This high accuracy and precision of the system was attained
by measuring room air for 20 s after each 100 s of measuring air from
the metabolic chamber, and by using demineralized water in the swimmin
g pool. V-O2, during steady-state swimming was 1.89 +/- 0.06 mmol/kg .
min (ca. 60% V-O2max), indicating moderate exercise. Respiratory quot
ient (RQ), during steady-state exercise, was 0.80 +/- 0.01. V-O2, and
RQ resulted in rates for carbohydrate and fat utilization of 15.6 +/-
0.8 and 15.1 +/- 0.7 mg/kg . min, respectively.