Comparing Surgical And N95 Mask Use On Resting Metabolic Rate In Healthy Young Adults
MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE(2023)
Abstract
While face masks knowingly reduce the spread of respiratory pathogens, other effects remain controversial. Few studies have examined physiological changes while wearing face masks at rest. PURPOSE: To examine the effect of wearing surgical and N95 masks on resting metabolic rate (RMR) in healthy young adults at rest. Secondarily, heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO₂), carbon dioxide production (VCO₂), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) with macronutrient substrates were analyzed. METHODS: This prospective, randomized crossover study was IRB approved. Eligible subjects were men and women between 18-55 years old with no history of a respiratory/metabolic disease or claustrophobia, and were recruited from a convenience sample. Macronutrient substrates, VO₂, VCO₂, RMR, RER, and HR were recorded using indirect calorimetry under a canopy. Subjects fasted overnight for ≥8 hours. The first trial recorded baseline measurements without a face mask, then surgical mask and N95 mask trials were recorded in a randomized order. Each trial was 15 minutes, with a rest between conditions. Comfort levels were measured after each condition using a Likert scale, and open-ended responses were recorded. Repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc Holm-Bonferroni correction was used to analyze the mean values of the final 10 minutes of each trial. RESULTS: Twenty-two subjects (age 24.6 ± 2.94, 14 women) signed written consent and completed the study. RMR (kcal/day), VO₂ (mL/min), and VCO₂ (mL/min) were significantly lower in the surgical mask condition when compared with no face mask (1843.0 ± 340.3 vs. 1899.6 ± 360.5, p = 0.005; 276.0 ± 51.6 vs. 283.8 ± 53.6, p = 0.007; 184.9 ± 34.0 vs. 193.2 ± 39.3, p = 0.011, respectively). VCO₂ was also lower in the N95 mask condition when compared with no face mask (186.9 ± 37.6 vs. 193.2 ± 39.3, p = 0.049), while RMR and VO₂ were not significantly different (1866.5 ± 368.4 vs. 1899.6 ± 360.5, p = 0.11; 279.7 ± 55.4 vs. 283.8 ± 53.6, p = 0.19, respectively). No changes were found in HR, RER, or macronutrient substrates between conditions. CONCLUSION: Surgical masks had a more significant impact on RMR compared to N95 masks in healthy, young adults at rest.
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Key words
resting metabolic rate,metabolic rate,n95 mask use,healthy young adults
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