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Oxygen Consumption and Work Capacity in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats¹

Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

This study was carried out to determine the effects of moderate and severe chronic iron deficiency anemia on oxygen consumption
and heart rate during submaximal and maximal exercise. In adult male rats, moderate (MA) and severe anemia (SA) was induced by repeated phlebotomy and irondeficient diet, and hemoglobin (Hb) levels were maintained at approximately 8 and 4 g/dl for 360 and 210 days, respectively. Plasma iron levels for both MA (130 ± 17 µg/dl, mean ± SEM) and SA rats (42 ± 19) were lower than their respective sham controls (184 ± 19 and 215 ± 22). The final mean Hb values for these same groups were 7.9 ± 0.2, 3.7 ± 0.2, 13.5 ± 0.2 and 13.3 ± 0.5 g/dl, respectively. Maximal
in both MA (45.9 ± 1.7 ml/kg/minute) and SA (29.8 ± 2.4) groups was lower than in their respective control groups (54.5 ± 2.5 and 56.0 ± 2.8). Run time to exhaustion for these same groups was 5.0 ± 0.3, 2.8 ± 0.3, 6.6 ± 0.2 and 7.3 ± 0.5 minutes, respectively. Run time to exhaustion correlated with maximal
(r = 0.77) and Hb (r = 0.85). Maximal
and Hb concentration were also significantly correlated (r = 0.81). The lower maximal
and physical work capacities in the MA and SA rats were due primarily to reduced Hb levels. The submaximal
at the same work load was higher in rats with higher plasma iron than in rats with lower plasma iron although their Hb levels were the same. The degree of reduction of
associated with plasma iron levels was directly related to the severity of anemia. It was suggested that the severity of anemia does not solely account for the reduction in work performance and that the degree of iron deficiency may be important as well.

KEY WORDS: • iron deficiency • oxygen consumption • work capacity • anemia

¹ Supported by J. B. Williams Co., Inc. and NIH Grant AM 19577.

² To whom reprint requests should be sent at: Dept. of Kinesiology, UCLA, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024.

Manuscript received 22 February 1980.