Exercise Intensity And Muscle Glycogen

REFERENCE CITATION

Regulation of fuel metabolism by preexercise muscle glycogen content and exercise intensity. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2004;97: 2275-2283.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research was to determine the relative effects of exercise intensity and preexercise muscle glycogen content on rates of whole body fuel oxidation.

METHODOLOGY and DATA ANALYSIS

Seven male subjects who were somewhat trained in cycling participated in the study. All procedures and risks were explained to each subject before their written consent was obtained. Subjects performed an incremental test to volitional fatigue on a cycle. Muscle glycogen content was manipulated prior to each trial (4 trials). Whole body rates of carbohydrates and fat oxidation were estimated from VCO2 and VO2 samples during exercise and expressed as micromoles/kilogram/minute.

This study was not part of a larger study; however, based on previous inconsistent results of studies that have examined the effects of altering preexercise muscle glycogen content and exercise intensity, this study was developed. The procedures were appropriate and their research was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of RMIT University. The procedures done in this study are fairly clear to me, with the exception of the blood substrate collection.

EVALUATION

Based on the conclusions of this research, cause and effect can not be determined. They conclude that in moderately trained individuals, muscle glycogen availability does not influence rates of plasma disposal during either low-or-moderate exercise intensities. I would consider the number of participants a weakness. Seven participants isn't a large number to determine a conclusion