Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Communication
  • Published:

Increased muscular efficiency during lactation in Colombian women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 52, pages 17–21 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To determine the muscular efficiency of lactating women and compare it to that of nonpregnant, nonlactating (NPNL) women.

Design: The study was retrospective. The subjects were selected randomly in the two groups and studied on three occasions (rounds) separated by approximately three months.

Subjects: There were 109, 101, and 80 NPNL women and 45, 31 and 16 lactating women in rounds 1, 2 and 3 respectively, 19–43 y of age, living under economically deprived conditions in Cali, Colombia, who participated in the study.

Methods: Muscular efficiency was measured as delta efficiency on a cycle ergometer.

Results: Muscular efficiency was significantly higher in lactating women in all three rounds compared to NPNL women. In six women it was possible to measure efficiency at variable times prior to their pregnancies, and again during lactation about three months post partum. There was a statistically significant (P=0.03) increase in muscular efficiency during lactation.

Conclusion: Lactation results in about a 5% increase in muscular efficiency which may contribute to the adaptation of the mother to the increased energy demands associated with lactation.

Sponsorship: This work was supported by U.S. NIH Grant 5-R22-DK39734.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin and Research Service, Zablocki Veterans Administration Center, Milwaukee, 53226, WI

    GB Spurr

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309

    DL Dufour

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Universidad del Valle, Cali

    JC Reina

  4. Physiological Sciences, Universidad del Valle, Cali

    GB Spurr & DL Dufour

Authors
  1. GB Spurr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. DL Dufour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. JC Reina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Spurr, G., Dufour, D. & Reina, J. Increased muscular efficiency during lactation in Colombian women. Eur J Clin Nutr 52, 17–21 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600504

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600504

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links