Microvascular oxygen pressures in muscles comprised of different fiber types: Impact of dietary nitrate...

Nitrate (NO3(-)) supplementation via beetroot juice (BR) preferentially improves vascular conductance and O2 delivery to contracting skeletal muscles comprised predominantly of type IIb + d/x (i.e. highly glycolytic) fibers following its reduction to nitrite and nitric oxide (NO). To address the mechanistic basis for NO3(-) to improve metabolic control we tested the hypothesis that BR supplementation would elevate microvascular PO2 (PO2mv) in fast twitch but not slow twitch muscle. Twelve young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered BR ([NO3(-)] 1 mmol/kg/day, n = 6) or water (control, n = 6) for 5 days. PO2mv (phosphorescence quenching) was measured at rest and during 180 s of electrically-induced 1-Hz twitch contractions (6-8 V) of the soleus (9% type IIb +d/x) and mixed portion of the gastrocnemius (MG, 91% type IIb + d/x) muscles. In the MG, but not the soleus, BR elevated contracting steady state PO2mv by ~43% (control: 14 ± 1, BR: 19 ± 2 mmHg (P < 0.05)). This higher PO2mv represents a greater blood-myocyte O2 driving force during muscle contractions thus providing a potential mechanism by which NO3(-) supplementation via BR improves metabolic control in fast twitch muscle. Recruitment of higher order type II muscle fibers is thought to play a role in the development of the VO2 slow component which is inextricably linked to the fatigue process. These data therefore provide a putative mechanism for the BR-induced improvements in high-intensity exercise performance seen in humans.