Muscle glycogen synthesis in recovery from intense exercise in man. Bangsbo, J., K. Madsen, B. Kiens, E. A. Richter. The August Krogh Institute, LHF, Universitetsparken 13, DK2D2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
APStracts 4:0088E, 1997.
The present study examined the role of lactate and glucose as substrates for glyconeogenesis in muscle in recovery from high intensity exercise in man. Seven subjects performed about 100 min of intense intermittent one2Dlegged knee2Dextensor exercise on two occasions; with (HL) and without (C) intense arm exercise between the leg exercise bouts leading to end exercise arterial plasma lactate concentrations of 16.0+/-1.6 and 9.2+/-1.6 mmol x l2D1, respectively (p<0.05). At the end of exercise muscle lactate and glycogen was similar in HL and C (20.5+/-1.3 vs. 17.3+/-2.0 mmol x kgD1 w.w. and 48.1+/-11.3 vs. 56.3+/-8.6 mmol x kg2D1 w.w., respectively). Muscle glycogen increased (p<0.05) during the first 5 min of recovery only in HL, but after 90 min of recovery the muscle glycogen concentration was the same in C and HL (61.2+/-12.0 vs. 71.5+/-10.9 mmol kg2D1 w.w.). Muscle lactate not released to the blood could maximally account for 28% (C) and 54% (HL) of the increase in muscle glycogen during 902Dmin of recovery or less than 10% of glycogen synthesis after full recovery. The total net glucose uptake corresponded to 84% (C) and 57% (HL) of the glycogen synthesized. Apparently, muscle glyconeogenesis may occur in man, but the role of lactate as a substrate is minor. Instead, blood glucose appears to be the most important precursor for muscle glycogen synthesis after intense exercise.

Received 10 December 1996; accepted in final form 7 April 1997.
APS Manuscript Number E608-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Endocrinol. Metab.).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1997 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 13 May 1997