Unaltered aerobic power and endurance following glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy

The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether the muscle atrophy associated with glucocorticoid excess results in a reduction in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and endurance during exercise. Female rats were administered single subcutaneous injections of cortisone acetate (CA) (100 mg X kg-1 b.w.) or the vehicle (1% carboxymethyl cellulose) for 14 consecutive days. The weights of plantaris muscles (which were used as a marker of the atrophy) of CA-treated rats were 27% less than those of plantaris muscles in the vehicle-treated rats. This condition also produced a 12-fold increase in free serum glucocorticoid concentrations (cortisol) but did not alter serum androgen (testosterone) levels. Peak VO2 (ml X kg-1 X min-1) and endurance were greater in CA-treated vs vehicle-treated animals; however, these effects were shown to be a function of body weight loss. Homogenate oxygen uptakes in the presence of pyruvate or palmitate were also similar in slow-twitch soleus, fast-twitch red vastus, and fast-twitch white vastus lateralis muscles between CA- and vehicle-treated groups. These data provide no evidence to demonstrate that the catabolic actions of glucocorticoids in skeletal muscle result in a decrement in work capacity through at least 14 d of treatment.