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Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Thurber, C; Dugas, LR; Ocobock, C; Carlson, B; Speakman, JR; Pontzer, H
Published in: Science advances
June 2019

The limits on maximum sustained energy expenditure are unclear but are of interest because they constrain reproduction, thermoregulation, and physical activity. Here, we show that sustained expenditure in humans, measured as maximum sustained metabolic scope (SusMS), is a function of event duration. We compiled measurements of total energy expenditure (TEE) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) from human endurance events and added new data from adults running ~250 km/week for 20 weeks in a transcontinental race. For events lasting 0.5 to 250+ days, SusMS decreases curvilinearly with event duration, plateauing below 3× BMR. This relationship differs from that of shorter events (e.g., marathons). Incorporating data from overfeeding studies, we find evidence for an alimentary energy supply limit in humans of ~2.5× BMR; greater expenditure requires drawing down the body's energy stores. Transcontinental race data suggest that humans can partially reduce TEE during long events to extend endurance.

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Published In

Science advances

DOI

EISSN

2375-2548

ISSN

2375-2548

Publication Date

June 2019

Volume

5

Issue

6

Start / End Page

eaaw0341
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Thurber, C., Dugas, L. R., Ocobock, C., Carlson, B., Speakman, J. R., & Pontzer, H. (2019). Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure. Science Advances, 5(6), eaaw0341. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw0341
Thurber, Caitlin, Lara R. Dugas, Cara Ocobock, Bryce Carlson, John R. Speakman, and Herman Pontzer. “Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure.Science Advances 5, no. 6 (June 2019): eaaw0341. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw0341.
Thurber C, Dugas LR, Ocobock C, Carlson B, Speakman JR, Pontzer H. Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure. Science advances. 2019 Jun;5(6):eaaw0341.
Thurber, Caitlin, et al. “Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure.Science Advances, vol. 5, no. 6, June 2019, p. eaaw0341. Epmc, doi:10.1126/sciadv.aaw0341.
Thurber C, Dugas LR, Ocobock C, Carlson B, Speakman JR, Pontzer H. Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure. Science advances. 2019 Jun;5(6):eaaw0341.

Published In

Science advances

DOI

EISSN

2375-2548

ISSN

2375-2548

Publication Date

June 2019

Volume

5

Issue

6

Start / End Page

eaaw0341