Abstract
Purpose
This study determined the effect of a single session of sprint interval training in hypoxia on muscle glycogen content among athletes.
Methods
Ten male college track and field sprinters (mean ± standard error of the mean: age, 21.1 ± 0.2 years; height, 177 ± 2 cm; body weight, 67 ± 2 kg) performed two exercise trials under either hypoxia [HYPO; fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), 14.5%] or normoxia (NOR: FiO2, 20.9%). The exercise consisted of 3 × 30 s maximal cycle sprints with 8-min rest periods between sets. Before and immediately after the exercise, the muscle glycogen content was measured using carbon magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius muscles. Moreover, power output, blood lactate concentrations, metabolic responses (respiratory oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output), and muscle oxygenation were evaluated.
Results
Exercise significantly decreased muscle glycogen content in both trials (interaction, P = 0.03; main effect for time, P < 0.01). Relative changes in muscle glycogen content following exercise were significantly higher in the HYPO trial (− 43.5 ± 0.4%) than in the NOR trial (− 34.0 ± 0.3%; P < 0.01). The mean power output did not significantly differ between the two trials (P = 0.80). The blood lactate concentration after exercise was not significantly different between trials (P = 0.31).
Conclusion
A single session of sprint interval training (3 × 30 s sprints) in hypoxia caused a greater decrease in muscle glycogen content compared with the same exercise under normoxia without interfering with the power output.
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Abbreviations
- AMPK:
-
AMP-activated protein kinase
- 13C-MRS:
-
Carbon magnetic resonance spectroscopy
- FiO2 :
-
Fraction of inspired oxygen
- GLUT4:
-
Glucose transporter 4
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- HYPO:
-
Maximal sprint exercise in hypoxia
- NOR:
-
Maximal sprint exercise in normoxia
- PFK:
-
Phosphofructokinase
- RER:
-
Respiratory exchange ratio
- RPE:
-
Rating of perceived exertion
- RSH:
-
Repeated sprint training in hypoxia
- SIH:
-
Sprint interval training in hypoxia
- SIT:
-
Sprint interval training in normoxia
- SmO2 :
-
Percent oxygen saturation of hemoglobin and myoglobin in muscle tissue
- SpO2 :
-
Percent oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood
- \(\dot{V}{\text{CO}}_{2}\) :
-
Rate of carbon dioxide output
- \(\dot{V}{\text{E}}\) :
-
Rate of minute ventilation
- \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{2}\) :
-
Rate of oxygen uptake
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank all subjects who conducted the intensive exercise in the present study. The present study was supported by a research Grant from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Funding
The present study was funded by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
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NK, KG and YS contributed to experimental design. NK, FT, AI, HO, HT and YS performed data collection. NK performed the statistical analysis, interpretation of data and drafting of the paper. KG revised the work and final approval of the manuscript. All co-authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Kasai, N., Tanji, F., Ishibashi, A. et al. Augmented muscle glycogen utilization following a single session of sprint training in hypoxia. Eur J Appl Physiol 121, 2981–2991 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04748-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04748-8