Wrist flexor muscles of elite rowers measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy

We used phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study skeletal muscle metabolism of trained vs. untrained humans. The forearms of highly trained rowers (n = 10) and age-matched controls were placed in a 1.9-T magnet so that the wrist flexor muscles were placed over a 4-cm transmitting and receiving coil. The subjects performed work by depressing a handle attached to an isokinetic ergometer. Relative concentrations of Pi, phosphocreatine (PCr), and ATP were measured along with intracellular pH. Measurements were made at rest, during steady-state and ramp exercise protocols, and during recovery from exercise. At rest the rowers had Pi/PCr that were not different from control. During steady-state exercise rowers (n = 4) had lower Pi/PCr at the same relative power levels, and the slope of the power vs. Pi-PCr curve was significantly greater than for controls. Rowers (n = 4) also had faster rates of PCr recovery after exercise than controls (T1/2 of 24 +/- 2.0 s for rowers and 47 +/- 8.4 s for controls) when power level was adjusted so that all subjects recovered from the same level of Pi/PCr. During a ramp exercise protocol, the initial slope of the power vs. Pi-PCr curve was greater in three of six rowers compared with controls and at the highest power level rowers had lower Pi/PCr values with less drop in pH. At the end of the ramp test, the same degree of muscle fatigue was associated with much lower levels of H2PO-4 (5.7 +/- 0.70 mM) in rowers compared with controls (13.0 +/- 1.8 mM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)