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Changes in amino acid concentration in plasma and type I and type II fibres during resistance exercise and recovery in human subjects

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Abstract

Eight male subjects performed leg press exercise, 4 × 10 repetitions at 80% of their maximum. Venous blood samples were taken before, during exercise and repeatedly during 2 h of recovery. From four subjects, biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle prior to, immediately after and following one and 2 h of recovery. Samples were freeze-dried, individual muscle fibres were dissected out and identified as type I or type II. Resistance exercise led to pronounced reductions in the glutamate concentration in both type I (32%) and type II fibres (70%). Alanine concentration was elevated 60–75% in both fibre types and 29% in plasma. Glutamine concentration remained unchanged after exercise; although 2 h later the concentrations in both types of fibres were reduced 30–35%. Two hours after exercise, the plasma levels of glutamate and six of the essential amino acids, including the branched-chain amino acids were reduced 5–30%. The data suggest that glutamate acts as an important intermediate in muscle energy metabolism during resistance exercise, especially in type II fibres.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported financially by the Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports.

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Correspondence to Eva Blomstrand.

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Blomstrand, E., Essén-Gustavsson, B. Changes in amino acid concentration in plasma and type I and type II fibres during resistance exercise and recovery in human subjects. Amino Acids 37, 629–636 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-008-0182-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-008-0182-y

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