Lipid oxidation is reduced in obese human skeletal muscle.

The purpose of this study was to discern cellular mechanisms that contribute to the suppression of lipid oxidation in the skeletal muscle of obese individuals. Muscle was obtained from obese [body mass index (BMI), 38.3 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2)] and lean (BMI, 23.8 +/- 0.9 kg/m(2)) women, and fatty acid oxidation was studied by measuring (14)CO(2) production from (14)C-labeled fatty acids. Palmitate oxidation, which is at least partially dependent on carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) activity, was depressed (P < 0.05) by approximately 50% with obesity (6.8 +/- 2.2 vs. 13.7 +/- 1.4 nmole CO(2).g(-1).h(-1)). The CPT-1-independent event of palmitoyl carnitine oxidation was also depressed (P < 0.01) by approximately 45%. There were significant negative relationships (P < 0.05) for adiposity with palmitate (r = -0.76) and palmitoyl carnitine (r = -0.82) oxidation. Muscle CPT-1 and citrate synthase activity, an index of mitochondrial content, were also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced ( approximately 35%) with obesity. CPT-1 (r = -0.48) and citrate synthase (r = -0.65) activities were significantly (P < 0.05) related to adiposity. These data suggest that lesions at CPT-1 and post-CPT-1 events, such as mitochondrial content, contribute to the reduced reliance on fat oxidation evident in human skeletal muscle with obesity.

Association between muscle fiber composition and blood pressure levels during exercise in men.

Normotensive individuals with a magnified blood pressure (BP) level during exercise have an increased risk for developing hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine if skeletal muscle fiber type is related to the BP level during exercise. Peak BP was determined in 35 normotensive, middle-aged (mean +/- SE, 46.0 +/- 1.8 years) men during maximal treadmill exercise. Fiber distribution (I, IIa, IIb) was measured in muscle samples (percutaneous needle biopsy) from the vastus lateralis and lateral gastrocnemius. The systolic BP during exercise was significantly (P < .05) related to the percentage of type IIb fibers in both the vastus lateralis (r = 0.37) and gastrocnemius (r = 0.38). Mean arterial pressure BP was also related to the percentage of type IIb fibers in the gastrocnemius (r = 0.39, P < .05), with a similar trend evident in the vastus lateralis (r = 0.31, P = 0.08). The percentage of type IIb muscle fibers in both muscle groups was associated with (P < .05) body fat (vastus lateralis, r = 0.44; gastrocnemius, r = 0.43). There were no relationships between the relative percentage of type I or IIa fibers with any BP parameters. Maximal oxygen consumption was negatively related to BP, but only when expressed relative to body weight (mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)). These data suggest that muscle morphology is related to the blood pressure level during exercise and provides insight into factors that may predispose individuals toward the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.