Skeletal muscle glycogen content: diurnal variation and effects of fasting

To test whether skeletal muscle glycogen concentration is related to food consumption, glycogen content was determined in red (R) and white (W) vastus lateralis and in soleus (S) muscles from six groups of ad libitum-fed rats killed at 4-h intervals and from 24-h-fasted animals killed at 0800 and 1600 h. The animal quarters were illuminated between 0700 and 1900 h. Glycogen values exhibited a peak at 0800 h and a nadir at 2000 h. These changes bore no relationship to blood glucose and lactate or plasma free fatty acids, glucagon, insulin, and corticosterone concentrations. Fasting resulted in reductions of glycogen content of 49% (S), 47% (R), and 29% (W) in animals killed at 0800h, but at 1600h changes were only 23% (RY), 17% (W), and 8% (S). The smaller changes at 1600 h were apparently due to lower glycogen levels in the tissues of the fed animals. It was concluded that skeletal muscle exhibits a diurnal variation in glycogen content, and that, contrary to accepted belief, fating significantly alters muscle glycogen concentration.