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. 2021 Jan;9(1):e14682.
doi: 10.14814/phy2.14682.

Alaska backcountry expeditionary hunting promotes rapid improvements in metabolic biomarkers in healthy males and females

Melynda S Coker  1 , Kaylee Ladd  2 , Carl J Murphy  3 , Brent C Ruby  4 , Timothy C Shriver  5 , Dale A Schoeller  5 , Bradley R Newcomer  6 , Terry Bateman  7 , Larry Bartlett  8 , Robert H Coker  2   3
Affiliations

Alaska backcountry expeditionary hunting promotes rapid improvements in metabolic biomarkers in healthy males and females

Melynda S Coker et al. Physiol Rep. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

We have previously reported negative energy balance and health benefits during an Alaska backcountry expeditionary hunting (ABEH) immersion in two males. The purpose of our present study was to increase the number of participants, include females, and evaluate macronutrient intake and serum lipids. Four men (age: 46 ± 6 year, BMI: 26 ± 1 kg/m2 ) and three women (age: 46 ± 11 year, BMI: 25 ± 3 kg/m2 ) were recruited. Doubly labeled water methodology and dietary recall were utilized to assess energy expenditure and energy intake, respectively. Data were collected during pre- and post-ABEH visits. Body composition was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and the cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle in the upper leg (XT), and intrahepatic lipid (IHL) was determined using magnetic resonance imaging and/or spectroscopy (MRI/MRS). Blood parameters were measured by LabCorp. Paired T-tests were used for statistical analysis. Data are reported as mean ± SD and considered significant at p < 0.05. Total energy intake was 7.7 ± 3.4 MJ/day and total energy expenditure was 17.4 ± 2.6 MJ/day, resulting in a negative energy balance of -9.7 ± 3.4 MJ/day. Protein intake(grams)/body weight(kilograms)/day was 1.0 ± 0.4. There were reductions in body weight (Δ-1.5 ± 0.7 kg), BMI (Δ-0.3 ± 0.2 kg/m2 ), fat mass (Δ-1.7 ± 0.9 kg), and IHL (Δ-0.3 ± 0.3% water peak). There were no changes in lean tissue mass (Δ0.6 ± 1.4 kg) or XT (Δ-1.3 ± 3.3 cm2 ). There were significant reductions in total cholesterol (Δ-44 ± 35 mg/dl), LDL-cholesterol (Δ-25 ± 14 mg/dl), VLDL-cholesterol (Δ-7 ± 7 mg/dl), and triglycerides (Δ-35 ± 33 mg/dl). The ABEH immersion resulted in considerable negative energy balance and provided comprehensive benefits in metabolic health without any reduction in skeletal muscle.

Keywords: adipose tissue; energy expenditure; intrahepatic lipid; serum lipid; skeletal muscle.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Total energy intake, total energy expenditure and net energy balance in participants #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 and their average values. Participants #1 and #2 received sham doses of DLW
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Relationship between total energy expenditure (TEE) and lean tissue mass (LTM) in all participants (p = 0.03)
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Average dietary intake of protein, fat and carbohydrate in grams/day in all participants
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Relationship between average protein intake and change in lean tissue mass (LTM) in all participants (p = 0.09)
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Intrahepatic lipid at pre‐ABEH and post‐ABEH in all seven participants. *Represents statistically significant difference (p = 0.02)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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