RESTING METABOLIC-RATE IN WEIGHT-CYCLING COLLEGIATE WRESTLERS COMPARED WITH PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, NONCYCLING CONTROL SUBJECTS

To determine the effect of multiple cycles of weight loss and regain on resting metabolic rate (RMR), we compared RMR between 12 weight-cycling collegiate wrestlers (x̄ age 19.4 y) with a minimum of three previous seasons of weight cycling and 13 weight-stable nonwrestlers of similar weight and body composition (x̄ age 20.6 y). RMR was measured before, during, and after a 6-mo wrestling season. Wrestlers exhibited a significantly higher baseline RMR compared with the control subjects (p < 0.05). During the season when wrestlers had lost weight for competition, RMR was reduced (p < 0.05) but was not significantly lower than that of the weight-stable control subjects. After a season of weight cycling and the final weight regain, the wrestler's postseason RMR was similar to preseason values and higher than the postseason RMR of the control subjects (p < 0.05). Participation in numerous cycles of weight loss and regain did not lower RMR in these competitive athletes, as has been previously suggested.