Skeletal muscle enzyme activities in healthy young subjects

In three groups of healthy young subjects (n = 33; mean ages 6.4, 13.5, 17.1 years), muscle enzyme activities (creatine kinase, hexose phosphate isomerase, aldolase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, fumarase) of the vastus lateralis muscle were investigated to show age-dependent variations. A significant age-dependent increase in aldolase (P less than 0.05) and pyruvate kinase (P less than 0.01) activity and a decrease in fumarase activity (P less than 0.01) were computed. In relation to the age-dependent variation, maximum LDH activities could be measured at an age of 12-14 years; significantly decreased activities of the glycolytic enzymes could only be found in the youngest group.