2 SEASONS OF WEIGHT CYCLING DOES NOT LOWER RESTING METABOLIC-RATE IN COLLEGE WRESTLERS

Over the course of 2 yr, we prospectively studied the effect on restin g metabolic rate (RMR) of multiple cycles of weight loss followed by r egain in six weight cycling collegiate wrestlers (WC) (xBAR age = 19.0 yr) compared with 12 weight stable, physically active, nonwrestling c ontrols (C) (xBAR age = 20.9 yr), whose body composition was similar t o the wrestlers. Furthermore, during the second year of the investigat ion, a group of six nonweight cycling collegiate wrestlers (NWC) (xBAR age = 18.8 yr) were included in the analyses. The WC had previously u ndergone at least three seasons of weight cycling and continued this p attern during each year of the study. For the WC, RMR was determined b y indirect calorimetry before and after a 6-month season of weight cyc ling for each of two consecutive years. A similar time frame was follo wed for measurement of RMR in the C, while for the NWC, pre- and posts eason RMRs were measured only during the second year. During the 2 yr, the WC had significantly higher (P < 0.05) pre- and postseason measur es of RMR compared with the C. A separate analysis comparing all three groups during the second year showed that RMR was not different for W C and NWC, and that RMR was higher for both wrestling groups compared with C. In this prospective study, weight cycling did not increase the thermogenic efficiency of collegiate wrestlers compared with either n onweight cycling wrestlers or weight stable controls, who were not wre stlers.