I. Fraser

Male and female differences in enzyme activities of energy metabolism in vastus lateralis muscle

To investigate sex differences in the organization of enzyme activities of energy supplying metabolism in skeletal muscle, samples of the vastus lateralis were extracted from active but untrained males (n = 16) and females (n = 17), ranging in age from 18 to 22 years. Muscle tissue from 2 different biopsy samples from each subject were analyzed for enzymes representative of the citric acid cycle (succinic dehydrogenase, SDH), beta-oxidation of fatty acids (3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, HAD), glycogenolysis (phosphorylase, PHOSPH), glycolysis (pyruvate kinase, PK; phosphofructokinase, PFK and lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) and glucose phosphorylation (hexokinase, HK). The results indicated that the maximal activities of PFK, PK, LDH and PHOSPH, HK and SDH averaged between 15 and 32% higher in the males than in the females. No significant differences between the sexes were found for HAD. When enzyme activity ratios were calculated, sex differences were only evident for the HAD/SDH ratio (mean +/- SD; females = 0.56 +/- 0.20; males = 0.41 +/- 0.11 and for the PFK/HAD ratio (females = 7.40 +/- 1.6; males = 9.58 +/- 1.9). The findings suggest that (1) the females have a significantly lower overall capacity for aerobic oxidation and for anaerobic glycolysis than the males; (2) the females have a greater capacity for beta-oxidation relative to the capacity of the citric acid cycle; and (3) the glycolytic potential relative to the potential for beta-oxidation is lower in the females.

Differential effects of exercise intensity on serum uric acid concentration.

To investigate the effects of exercise intensity and short-term training on alterations in plasma uric acid, two series of experiments were performed using untrained male subjects. In series 1, 6 subjects (age 19 to 23 yr) cycled at 120% VO2max for 1 min followed by 4 min recovery until fatigue or until 24 repetitions had been completed. In series 2, 7 subjects (age 19 to 25 yr) cycled continuously at 65% VO2max for 2 h. In both experiments, short-term training was performed by repeating the exercise protocol for three consecutive days. In series 1, a progressive increase of 40% (P less than 0.05) was observed on day 1 in plasma uric acid concentration over the duration of the exercise. On day 2, pre-exercise values remained elevated over day 1 (mean +/- SD, 476 +/- 77 vs 352 +/- 30 mumol.l-1) and showed a further 23% increase (P less than 0.05) with exercise. Although resting uric acid concentrations on day 3 were elevated (P less than 0.05) over day 1, the exercise levels between day 1 and day 3 were not different (P greater than 0.05). In contrast, in series 2, prolonged sub-maximal exercise failed to stimulate increases in uric acid concentration either between days or within days. It is concluded that exercise intensity rather than total work output is a critical factor mediating increases in blood uric acid concentration. These results are consistent with the interpretation that uric acid formation may arise from purine nucleotide degradation and fast-twitch fiber utilization during conditions of high energy utilization.

Human vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius muscles

Two muscles involved in locomotion the vastus lateralis and the gastrocnemius, were compared on a variety of histochemical an biochemical properties. Ten active males, age 20 - 24 years, served as subjects. Fibre type distributions, type I, type IIA and type IIB, as determined from samples extracted by muscle biopsy were similar in both muscles. In addition, no significant difference (p greater than 0.05) was found between fibre types in each muscle for fibre size, relative area, capillaries per fibre and the ratio of capillaries per fibre area. The activities of a number of enzymes representative of energy supplying pathways - the citric acid cycle (succinate dehydrogenase, SHD; beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, HADH), glycogenolysis (total phosphorylase, PHOSP), glycolysis (phosphofructokinase, PFK) - were of similar magnitude between the two muscles. The only exception noted was for the activity of a glycolytic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase, LDH, where a 16% higher value was observed in the vastus lateralis. The close degree of homogeneity displayed between these two muscles may be of significance in providing for a functional synchrony to occur in locomotor activities of varying intensity.

Specificity of physiologic adaptations resulting from ice-hockey training

The specificity of the metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses to varied seasonal training programs and to varied testing modalities and protocols were investigated in two groups of college hockey players. Training consisted of either ice hockey (IH) or a combination of ice hockey and prolonged low-intensity cycling (IH-C). Measurement of training-induced adaptations were determined during maximal and submaximal ice skating, and during maximal and submaximal cycling. Ice hockey training caused no change in VO2max, maximal heart rate (HRmax), and maximal ventilation (VEmax) during maximal ice skating. During submaximal ice skating following IH training, however, reductions (P less than 0.05) in blood lactate (La), VE/VO2, and respiratory exchange ratio (R) were observed. When maximal and submaximal cycling was employed as the test modality, no training-induced alteration was found. The IH-C training program (ice hockey-cycling) resulted in adaptations similar to those observed during submaximal ice skating following the IH training. In addition, a reduction (P less than 0.05) in heart rate was observed during submaximal cycling exercise. From these findings it appeared that the adaptive response to training may be specific to the type of work used in training, the type of ergometry used to evaluate training, and to specific physiological processes. In addition, these results suggested a dissociation between local and central adaptations.