Regulation of fatty acid oxidation in untrained versus trained men during exercise. Sidossis, Labros S., Robert R. Wolfe, and Andrew R. Coggan. Metabolism Unit, Shriners Burns Institute, Galveston, TX and the Departments of Surgery and Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550.
APStracts 4:0272E, 1997.
We have recently shown that increased carbohydrate flux decreases fat oxidation during exercise by inhibition of fatty acid entry into the mitochondria. Since endurance training reduces the rate of carbohydrate flux during exercise, we hypothesized that training increases fat oxidation by relieving this inhibition. To test this hypothesis, five sedentary and five endurance trained men exercised on a cycle ergometer at a VO2 of 2.0 L/min, representing 80% and 40% VO2 peak, respectively. [1-13C]Oleate and [1-14C]octanoate, long- and medium-chain fatty acids respectively, were infused for the duration of the studies. Carbohydrate oxidation was significantly higher in the sedentary group (196+/-9 vs 102+/-17 [grave]imol.kg-1.min-1, P< 0.05). Oleate oxidation was higher in the trained (3.8+/-0.6 vs 1.9+/-0.3 [grave]imol.kg-1.min-1, P< 0.05) whereas octanoate oxidation was not different between the two groups. The percentage of oleate that was taken up by tissues and oxidized was higher in the trained (76+/-7% vs 58+/-3%, P< 0.05). However, the percentage octanoate taken up and oxidized was not different (82+/-3% vs 85+/ -4%, NS). Since octanoate, unlike oleate, can freely diffuse across the mitochondrial membrane, the present results suggest that the difference in fatty acid oxidation between trained and untrained individuals may be due to enhanced fatty acid entry into the mitochondria.

Received 22 July 1997; accepted in final form 25 November 1997.
APS Manuscript Number E342-7.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Endocrinol. Metab.).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1997 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 12 December 1997