Metabolic Rate facts
While investigating facts about Metabolic Rate Calculator and Metabolic Rate Definition, I found out little known, but curios details like:
During WWII, Russian soldiers took “heat pills” that kept them warm in the winter; however, they would also lose weight despite eating well. 2,4-dinitrophenol spikes metabolic rate as potential energy is lost as heat—it is banned as a weight loss aid (U.S.) as overdose can cook people to death.
how metabolic rate is measured?
Hummingbirds are constantly hours away from starving to death, only being able to store enough energy to survive overnight. Having the highest metabolic rate of animal kingdom, their heart can reach 1260 BPM and they'll breath 250 times a minute at rest.
What metabolic rate means?
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what metabolic rate is calculated instead of a basal metabolic. Here are 40 of the best facts about Metabolic Rate Test and Metabolic Rate Meaning I managed to collect.
what's metabolic rate?
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Scientists have found that the perception of time varies as a function of mass & metabolic rate across species. Smaller animals w/ faster metabolisms can respond to visual stimuli at a faster rate b/c they perceive movements & events to unfold more slowly (like bullet dodging in the Matrix).
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In order to survive through the night without starving, hummingbirds must enter a hypo-metabolic state called torpor, in which their heart rates drop from roughly 1,000 bpm to 70, and their temperatures from 40ºC to 18ºC.
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An Etruscan Shrew's heart can beat over 1200 times a minute, and it's metabolic rate is so fast it can die within 4-5 hours from starvation if it does not eat. It's also really tiny and cute.
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If an Elephant had the same Metabolic Rate as a Shrew it would quickly Overheat and Explode
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Hummingbirds' metabolism rate is so high that they will starve to death in two hours if they don't feed.
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The metabolic rate of a dormant scorpion can be lower than that of a root vegetable like a carrot or beet.
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Scorpions can reduce their metabolic rate to as little as 1/3 of that of other arthropods. This allows them to minimise oxygen requirements, and some species can survive by eating a single insect per year.
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Caffeine metabolism rate is related to genetic factors and may differ by up to 4 times in different individuals. Depending on the metabolism rate, caffeine may decrease or increase the risk of a heart attack, which explains the conflicting literature on the benefits of caffeine.
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Kangaroos have tremendous endurance. In other animals metabolic rate increases with speed, but it levels off once Kangaroos start hopping due to the efficiency of elastic recoil.
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There is a drug, called DNP, which causes the human body to effectively burn body fat at an extremely fast rate (.5-1 lb a day). The downside? Most of the energy stored in the fat is released as heat when it is metabolized. Take too much DNP and you will literally cook yourself to death.
Why is my basal metabolic rate so low?
You can easily fact check why does exercise increase metabolic rate by examining the linked well-known sources.
Some species of sunbirds decrease body temperature and lower their metabolic rate during the night. State of decreased physiological activity, known as torpor, preserves energy.
Shrew has the fastest metabolic rate of all known animals (even higher than hummingbird). Due to high energetic needs, shrew needs to eat almost during whole day and night. Short period of food deprivation (half a day) leads to death of the shrew.
Long-tailed planigale rests and hides inside the cracks in the soil, in the grass or under the leaf litter during the day. It enters the torpid state (period of dormancy, characterized by decreased body temperature and metabolic rate) each day to conserve energy.
Huge size and slow metabolic rate of Brachiosaurus were responsible for a lifespan of nearly 100 years.
Each night hummingbirds enter hibernation-like state called torpor which helps them preserve the energy. Heart rate slows down, temperature drops and their metabolic rate decreases to 1/15 of the normal rate. They usually hang upside-down the tree during this phase.
What happens when metabolic rate increases?
Golden mole has very low metabolic rate and may enter the state of torpor (kind of temporary hibernation) which preserves energy. Torpor is usually associated with extreme weather conditions and with a resting time.
How metabolic rate increases?
Albacore is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on sardines, anchovies, pilchards, crustaceans and squids. Albacore has high metabolic rate and it needs to eat 1/4 of its own body weight each day to meet its energetic needs.
Sloths can hold their breath underwater for up to 40 minutes by reducing their metabolism and heart rate to less than a third of normal.
Fat-tailed dunnarts are able to enter torpid state (short period of dormancy) during the day. Torpid state is characterized by decreased body temperature and low metabolic rate. Main purpose of torpid state is conservation of energy. Torpor takes place when outer temperature drops and food becomes scarce. Fat-tailed dunnarts are able to undergo torpor during the periods of development and reproduction. Even lactating females can enter torpid state without harmful effects on their offspring.
Sauropods had high metabolic rate, but very low pulse, with 5 to 7 beats per minute.
About MK-677, an investigational new drug known as a GH secretagogue that can be taken orally and has been shown to significantly increase basal metabolic rate and fat free mass in obese human subjects with little to no side effects in several clinical trials.