Amazing metabolism in sled dogs

Douglas Robson

If we humans engage in intense training activities day in and day out, we begin to metabolize the body's stored energy, consume all the sugar and fat. When the cells run out of energy causing fatigue, the practice must stop until the energy source is added.

For completely different dogs, especially the sled dog that participates in the Iditarod race in Alaska. The track stretches 1,100 miles. Studies show that dogs have somehow changed their metabolism in the race.

Dr. Michael S. Davis, professor of veterinary physiology at Oklahoma State University and a researcher on animal movement, said: 'Before the race, the dog's metabolic activity was like people. Then all of a sudden, they changed to reverse them all. This phenomenon is still unknown to us. In a 24-hour period, they return to normal metabolism when they rest after having run 100 miles a day. '

Dr. Davis, who researches sled dogs, found that they did not use stored energy and tried to avoid the worst case of exhaustion. He is working on a study for the Defense Research Projects Agency with a $ 1.4 million grant in 2003 to study the physiological mechanisms that can make towing dogs resistant to fatigue. .

Dr. Davis, who is working with researchers at Texas A&M in a $ 300,000 project funded by Darpa last fall, regularly traveled to Alaska for years to study why towing dogs 'never tired'

The sled dogs have somehow changed their metabolism in a race.(Photo by Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press)

He said: 'They have the ability to operate a certain strategy. We are confident that people are also capable of this strategy. We have to understand how they work so that they can be applied to people, '

Researchers have not yet demonstrated a similar ability in other species, but Dr. Davis said that migrating mammals and birds may also have this ability. It is not the same as reflecting on underwater mammals such as seals, otters or dolphins that help them to dive underwater for a long time by slowing metabolism.

Dr. Davis commented: ' The level of metabolism does not change. It does not reduce their calorie burning rate . ' In fact, on long journeys, sled dogs consume about 240 calories per pound a day for 1-2 weeks non-stop.

He stressed how they can keep their calorie consumption for such a long time without using fat and sugar reserves (thus leading to a pause in we humans are what makes them 'magic'.

If Dr. Davis and Texas A&M researchers are aware of biological signs or 'switches', it can help our soldiers understand and develop a method of controlling and preventing mental impact. of fatigue in stressful situations like exercises.

Jan Walker of Darpa wrote in an e-mail that: 'The military's mission often requires extreme effort, which makes them easily exhausted. Extreme fatigue can hurt the resistance system, making soldiers vulnerable to injury or illness. '