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Effects of long-term creatine feeding and running on isometric functional measures and myosin heavy chain content of rat skeletal muscles

  • Skeletal muscle
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether creatine (Cr) supplementation during 12 weeks of phasic high-frequency voluntary wheel running would result in a faster myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform profile in the rat mixed fast-twitch plantaris and alter its corresponding isometric contractile properties. The fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus and medial gastrocnemius and slow-twitch soleus were also studied. Forty weanling Sprague–Dawley male rats were assigned to one of four groups: creatine-sedentary (Cre-Sed); creatine-voluntary running (Cre-Run); control-sedentary (Con-Sed); control-voluntary running (Con-Run). Daily running distance was similar between Cre-Run and Con-Run. Average daily Cr ingestion was also similar being 2.4±0.17 and 3.0±0.14 g/kg in Cre-Sed and Cre-Run, respectively. Total creatine (TCr) content was elevated (P<0.03) in the plantaris of Cre-Run [211.4±16.9 mmol/kg dry weight (dw)], compared with Con-Run (175.1±5.69). In the plantaris, MHCIIb was 13% greater (P<0.00001) in Cre-Run compared with Con-Run, while MHCIId/x and MHCIIa were lower in Cre-Run by 7 and 6% (P<0.0002), respectively. No differences were observed in twitch force, time-to-peak tension, half-rise time or half-fall time. Greater tetanic force production (P<0.05) in Cre-Sed compared with Con-Sed corresponded to a 12% increase in MHCIId/x (P<0.0001) and a 12% decrease in MHCIIb (P<0.0006). The fatigue index of the plantaris at 10 s (FI10s) was reduced only after running (Cre-Run vs Con-Run), while in all other muscles the FI10s was lower only in the Cre-Sed group. In conclusion, Cr supplementation had differential effects on MHC isoform content and fatigability that depended on the level of contractile activity. Cr feeding combined with running exercise resulted in a faster MHC-based phenotype in the rat plantaris but the impact on associated isometric contractile properties was minimal.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by research grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) (to CT Putman), the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) (to CT Putman) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (to T Gordon). M Gallo was supported by a NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship and an Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship and an Andrew Stewart Memorial Graduate Prize from the University of Alberta. CT Putman is a Heritage Medical Scholar of AHFMR. T Gordon is a Heritage Senior Scientist of AHFMR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, T6G 2H9, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Maria Gallo, Daniel Syrotuik, Yang Shu, Ian MacLean, Zoltan Kenwell & Charles T. Putman

  2. Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alberta, T6G 2S2, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Tessa Gordon & Neil Tyreman

  3. The Centre for Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, T6G 2S2, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Tessa Gordon, Neil Tyreman & Charles T. Putman

  4. E-417 Van Vliet Centre, University of Alberta, T6G 2H9, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Charles T. Putman

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  1. Maria Gallo
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Correspondence to Charles T. Putman.

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Gallo, M., Gordon, T., Syrotuik, D. et al. Effects of long-term creatine feeding and running on isometric functional measures and myosin heavy chain content of rat skeletal muscles. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 452, 744–755 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-006-0079-0

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