Manipulation of Muscle Glycogen Concentrations Using High and Low Carbohydrate Diets and Exercise

摘要

The Influence of Muscle Glycogen Levels on Shivering and Temperature Regulation During Cold Water Immersion study was designed to investigate the effect of muscle glycogen levels on body temperature homeostasis in man acutely exposed to cold, with alterations in muscle glycogen levels experimentally induced by exercise and dietary manipulation. The results of muscle biopsies taken from each test subject after each phase indicated that the exercise and dietary manipulation were effective in depleting muscle glycogen concentrations as well as repleting levels above what would be expected as normal concentrations in untrained subjects. The results of the dietary efforts supported the findings of other investigators that muscle glycogen levels can be increased by consumption of a high carbohydrate diet (in conjunction with a reduction of physical exercise), without necessarily having to stimulate the muscle for supercompensation via a depletion phase immediately preceding the loading phase as has been recommended for glycogen loading in the past. A series of practical high and low carbohydrate diets were developed using foods that can be easily obtained from commercial supermarket sources. These diets require minimal preparation and can be effectively utilized in metabolic ward studies or by athletes preparing for endurance events requiring replete muscle glycogen levels prior to completion.