Single muscle fiber function with concurrent exercise or nutrition countermeasures during 60 days of bed rest in women

J Appl Physiol (1985). 2007 Oct;103(4):1242-50. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00560.2007. Epub 2007 Jul 19.

Abstract

There is limited information on skeletal muscle properties in women with unloading and countermeasure programs to protect the unloading-induced atrophy. The current investigation tested the hypothesis that a concurrent aerobic and resistance exercise training program would preserve size and contractile function of slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers. A secondary objective was to test the hypothesis that a leucine-enriched high-protein diet would partially attenuate single fiber characteristics. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained before and on day 59 of bed rest from a control (BR; n = 8), nutrition (BRN; n = 8), or exercise (BRE; n = 8) group. Single muscle fibers were studied for diameter, peak force (P(o)), contractile velocity, and power. Those in the BR group had a decrease (P < 0.05) in myosin heavy chain (MHC) I diameter (-14%), P(o) (-35%), and power (-42%) and MHC IIa diameter (-16%) and P(o) (-31%; P = 0.06) and an increase (P < 0.05) in MHC hybrid fibers. Changes in size and function of MHC I (-19 to -44%) and IIa (-21% to -30%) fibers and MHC distribution in BRN individuals were similar to results in the BR group. In BRE conditions, MHC I and IIa size and contractile function were preserved during bed rest. These data show that the concurrent exercise program preserved the myocellular profile of the vastus lateralis muscle during 60-day bed rest. To combat muscle atrophy and function with long-term unloading, the exercise prescription program used in this study should be considered as a viable training program for the upper leg muscles, whereas the nutritional intervention used cannot be recommended as a countermeasure for skeletal muscle.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bed Rest*
  • Biopsy
  • Dietary Proteins / administration & dosage*
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Exercise Therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Muscle Contraction
  • Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / chemistry
  • Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / physiology*
  • Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / chemistry
  • Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / physiology*
  • Muscular Atrophy* / diet therapy
  • Muscular Atrophy* / prevention & control
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / analysis
  • Quadriceps Muscle / chemistry
  • Quadriceps Muscle / physiology
  • Space Flight

Substances

  • Dietary Proteins
  • Myosin Heavy Chains