One of the main ways the starving volunteers spent less energy was to skimp on maintenance. Basically, their metabolisms slowed down and cut back on costly physiological processes that keep the body in a state of balance. Their heart rates decreased by one-third, and their body temperatures dropped from a normal 98.6°F to 95.8°F, causing them to feel constantly cold, even in well-heated rooms. Their bodies also spent less energy replacing cells in their skin and other organs that are normally replenished on a regular basis. Their skin became flaky, their sperm counts fell, and they
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