The susceptibility to exercise-induced muscle damage increases as rats grow larger

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activities were both elevated after eccentric exercise indicating that this type of exercise causes muscle damage. Muscle damage as measured by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the vastus intermedius was greater and occurred later in larger rats indicating that the susceptibility to muscle damage is increased and the repair process delayed in older and larger animals.