MUSCLE OXYGENATION HETEROGENEITY IN A SINGLE MUSCLE AT REST AND DURING BICYCLE EXERCISE / 体力科学

We evaluated regional differences of muscle O₂ dynamics between distal and proximal sites in the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle using near infrared spatial resolved spectroscopy (NIR_SRS). forty-one male subjects performed a 30 W ramp incremental bicycle exercise test until exhaustion. The NIR_SRS probes were attached on each distal and proximal site in the VL. The pulmonary O₂ uptake and heart rate were monitored continuously during the experiment. The TOI at rest was significantly higher in proximal than distal sites (65.0±5.2 vs. 69.7±4.6%, p<0.001). The TOI at exhaustion was also significantly higher in proximal than distal sites (39.5±6.7 vs. 47.5±7.6%, p<0.001). Moreover, a significant correlation was found between VO₂max and the TOI at exhaustion in each proximal and distal site in the VL. Half time reoxygenation, the time to reach a value of half-maximal recovery, was significantly slower in distal sites than proximal sites (27.1±5.6 vs. 25.0±6.1 sec, p<0.01). In conclusion, lower muscle oxygenation at exhaustion in higher VO₂max may be due to enhanced O₂ extraction in high oxidative capacity muscle. In addition, slower reoxygenation and lower muscle deoxygenation at the distal site in the VL may be explained by differences in O₂ supply and/or muscle fiber composition between distal and proximal sites.

Relationships of intracellular pH to oxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin and to phosphate compounds in active muscle during forearm exercise / 体力科学

The purpose of this study is to find a key to clarifying the mechanism of lactic acid production during exercise. Five healthy men performed the grip and wrist flexion exercises at different occasions. Exercise intensities were increased by 5% MVC (maximum voluntary contraction force) per minute from 10% MVC. Intracellular pH, oxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin (Oxy-Hb/Mb), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and phosphocreatin (PCr) in forearm flexor muscles were measured by <SUP>31</SUP>P-MRS and NIRS. The lowest Oxy-Hb/Mb concentrations during the grip and wrist flexion exercises were 40.7± 8.86% (average±SE) and 15.4 ± 2.26%, respectively. These results suggest that oxygen remain sufficient in the muscles at least during the grip exercise. Intracellular pH dropped as exercise intensity rose above 25% MVC for the grip and above 10% MVC for the wrist flexion exercise. These results support the idea that oxygen deficiency is not the only cause for lactic acid production during exercise. On the other hand, intracellular pH fell with either negative or positive relations to Pi/PCr ratio, Pi, and PCr in each exercise. These results support the suggestion that the main causes of lactic acid production during exercise are the changes in ADP, Pi, and PCr.