Sparing effect of chronic high-altitude exposure on muscle glycogen utilization

Substrate utilization during heavy [approximately 85% maximum O2 consumption (VO2max)] bicycle exercise was examined in eight low-altitude residents at sea level (SL) and after acute (2 h) and chronic (18 days) high-altitude (HA) exposure at 4,300 m. Mean VO2max was approximately 27% lower at acute HA than at SL and did not change significantly with continued HA exposure. Biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle and venous blood samples were obtained before and after 30 min of exercise, whereas determinations of the respiratory exchange ratio (R) were made at 10-min intervals during each of the submaximal bouts. Resting levels of serum-free fatty acids at acute and chronic HA were, respectively, two and three times higher than SL but were unchanged with exercise. Exercise did not alter resting serum glycerol levels at SL or during acute HA, but during chronic HA resting glycerol levels were increased 11-fold. Although mean blood lactate concentrations following exercise at SL and acute HA were not significantly different, postexercise lactate concentrations were 87% lower after chronic HA. During exercise at SL and acute HA, muscle glycogen utilization and R were not different. At chronic HA, muscle glycogen utilization and R were 41 and 15% lower, respectively. These data suggest that after chronic HA exposure, increased mobilization and use of free fatty acids during exercise resulted in sparing of muscle glycogen.