Carnitine metabolism in human muscle fiber types during submaximal dynamic exercise

The effect of prolonged exhaustive exercise on free carnitine and acetylcarnitine concentrations in mixed-fiber skeletal muscle and in type I and II muscle fibers was investigated in humans. Needle biopsy samples were obtained from the vastus lateralis of six subjects immediately after exhaustive one-legged cycling at approximately 75% of maximal O2 uptake from both the exercised and nonexercised (control) legs. In the resting (control) leg, there was no difference in the free carnitine concentration between type I and II fibers (20.36 +/- 1.25 and 20.51 +/- 1.16 mmol/kg dry muscle, respectively) despite the greater potential for fat oxidation in type I fibers. However, the acetylcarnitine concentration was slightly greater in type I fibers (P < 0.01). During exercise, acetylcarnitine accumulation occurred in both muscle fiber types, but accumulation was greatest in type I fibers (P < 0.005). Correspondingly, the concentration of free carnitine was significantly lower in type I fibers at the end of exercise (P < 0.001). The sum of free carnitine and acetylcarnitine concentrations in type I and II fibers at rest was similar and was unchanged by exercise. In conclusion, the findings of the present study support the suggestion that carnitine buffers excess acetyl group formation during exercise and that this occurs in both type I and II fibers. However, the greater accumulation of acetylcarnitine in type I fibers during prolonged exercise probably reflects the greater mitochondrial content of this fiber type.