Seasonal variation in sleeping metabolic rate, thyroid activity, and leptin

1 Departments of Human Biology and 2 Methodology and Statistics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands Submitted 7 November 2002 ; accepted in final form 17 March 2003 We investigated seasonal variation in sleeping metabolic rate (SMR) and the possible relation to body composition, thyroid activity, and leptin. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were examined four times during the year: in spring (April, May), summer (July, August), autumn (October, November), and winter (January, February). Body composition was determined using a three-compartment model based on underwater weighing and the deuterium dilution method. SMR was measured during an overnight stay in a respiration chamber. A blood sample was taken for the analysis of free and total thyroxine, TSH, and leptin. SMR showed a significant seasonal variation ( P < 0.01) with a maximum in winter (4.54 kJ/min) and a minimum in summer (4.34 kJ/min). The amplitude was 0.10 ± 0.02 kJ/min, and the phase was November 5th. Season explained 17% of the intraindividual variation in SMR. The circannual rhythm in SMR could not be explained by changes in body composition, thyroid activity, or leptin. Interindividual variation in SMR was explained by fat-free mass ( P < 0.001) and leptin ( P < 0.001). body composition; thyroid-stimulating hormones; thyroxine; ambient temperature Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. Plasqui, Dept. of Human Biology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands (E-mail: G.Plasqui{at}HB.Unimaas.NL ).