Effects of exercise on fatty acid composition in skeletal muscle in relation to insulin sensitivity

Anders Mikael Sjödin, A Andersson, Roger Olsson, B Vessby

Abstract

Nineteen sedentary middle-aged men ate diets with identical fat compositions in amounts calculated to maintain energy balance for 10 weeks. After 4 weeks the subjects were randomly allocated to take part in a daily exercise program (55% of VO2peak, resulting in an increase in energy turnover of 3 MJ/d) or to continue to live a sedentary life for the remaining 6 weeks. After 4 and 10 weeks the fatty acids in muscle phospholipids (m-PL) and triglycerides (m-TG) were determined in a biopsy from the quadriceps muscle and insulin sensitivity was assessed by the euglycemic clamp technique In the trained subjects aerobic capacity, peripheral insulin sensitivity, and percentage of oleic acid (18:1 n-9) in m-PL increased. The proportions of palmitic acid (16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) and the sum of n-6 fatty acids in m-PL decreased, while no changes occurred in the fatty acid composition of m-TG In the sedentary subjects no changes were found. We conclude that in middle-aged men the fatty acid composition in m-PL but not in m-TG is influenced by regular low-intensity exercise. In this small group, however, we were unable to show that the above changes correlated to the improved insulin sensitivity.

Original languageEnglish
JournalFASEB Journal
Volume11
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)A164
Number of pages1
ISSN0892-6638
Publication statusPublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

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