Marked reduction of forearm carbon dioxide production during states of decreased metabolism

We studied oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and acid/base changes in 62 subjects during two hypometabolic states (35 during transcendental mediation and 27 during unstylized rest). The results indicate that, during these hypometabolic states, arterial-venous CO2 content difference declines, and that during transcendental meditation, arterial-venous CO2 content difference briefly disappears. This change is due to both an increase of arterial CO2 content and a decrease of venous CO2 content. Similar, but opposite and smaller, changes occurred in arterial and venous O2 content. Respiratory quotient was low at all times and decreased during the hypometabolic states. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that, during hypometabolic states significant ketogenesis is induced, and provision of energy from the normally predominant process of beta-oxidation of fat becomes sufficient to provide energy for greatly reduced activity without entry of two carbon fragments into the tricarboxylic acid cycle; under these conditions, biochemical feedback mechanisms inhibit the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The net result of these metabolic changes could explain the major observations: absent carbon dioxide production while oxygen consumption declines but continues and the venous effluent contains more acid.