Metabolic scaling, energy allocation tradeoffs, and the evolution of humans' unique metabolism

Authors

• Andrew K. Yegian, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
• Steven B. Heymsfield, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA
• Eric C. Castillo, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
• Manfred J. Müller, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
• Leanne M. Redman, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA
• Daniel E. Lieberman, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-18-2024

Publication Title

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

All organisms use limited energy to grow, survive, and reproduce, necessitating energy allocation tradeoffs, but there is debate over how selection impacted metabolic budgets and tradeoffs in primates, including humans. Here, we develop a method to compare metabolic rates as quotients of observed relative to expected values for mammals corrected for size, body composition, environmental temperature, and phylogenetic relatedness. Contrary to previous analyses, these quotients reveal that nonhuman primates have total metabolic rates expected for similar-sized mammals in similar environments. In addition, data from several small-scale societies show that humans evolved exceptionally high resting, activity, and total metabolic rates apparently by overcoming tradeoffs between resting and active energy expenditures that constrain other primates. Enhanced metabolic rates help humans fuel expanded brains, faster reproductive rates, extended longevity, and high percentage of body fat.

First Page

1

Last Page

9

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2409674121

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Yegian, Andrew K.; Heymsfield, Steven B.; Castillo, Eric C.; Müller, Manfred J.; Redman, Leanne M.; and Lieberman, Daniel E., "Metabolic scaling, energy allocation tradeoffs, and the evolution of humans' unique metabolism" (2024). LSU-LCMC Cancer Center Faculty Publications. 169.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/llcc_facpubs/169
10.1073/pnas.2409674121