Effects of Milk and Training on Swimming Performance and Organ Weight in Rats

Abstract

Three groups of litter mate albino male rats were utilized as follows: Group A received a stock diet and was forced to swim daily; group B was subjected to the same exercise but the diet was such that 30 percent of the caloric intake came from powdered whole milk; group C was given the stock diet but no exercise. The experiment continued for 12 weeks after which the animals were forced to swim as long as they were able. Several days later the animals were sacrificed and organ weights determined.

Replacing a portion of the stock diet with milk appeared to have no effect on body weight, endurance performance, or weight of the heart, kidneys, spleen, adrenals, liver, or testes. When the exercised animals were compared with the sedentary ones, the daily swimming program was seen to result in significant increases in swim time, carcass specific gravity, and heart and adrenal weight and a significant decrease in body and spleen weight. Endurance swimming time appeared to be unrelated to the various organ weights.