Effects of Acute and Chronic Resistance Exercise on the Skeletal Muscle Metabolome

Abstract

Resistance training promotes metabolic health and stimulates muscle hypertrophy, but the precise routes by which resistance exercise (RE) conveys these health benefits are largely unknown. Aim: To investigate how acute RE affects human skeletal muscle metabolism. Methods: We collected vastus lateralis biopsies from six healthy male untrained volunteers at rest, before the first of 13 RE training sessions, and 45 min after the first and last bouts of RE. Biopsies were analysed using untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Results: We measured 617 metabolites covering a broad range of metabolic pathways. In the untrained state RE altered 33 metabolites, including increased 3-methylhistidine and N-lactoylvaline, suggesting increased protein breakdown, as well as metabolites linked to ATP (xanthosine) and NAD (N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide) metabolism; the bile acid chenodeoxycholate also increased in response to RE in muscle opposing previous findings in blood. Resistance training led to muscle hypertrophy, with slow type I and fast/intermediate type II muscle fibre diameter increasing by 10.7% and 10.4%, respectively. Comparison of post-exercise metabolite levels between trained and untrained state revealed alterations of 46 metabolites, including decreased N-acetylated ketogenic amino acids and increased beta-citrylglutamate which might support growth. Only five of the metabolites that changed after acute exercise in the untrained state were altered after chronic training, indicating that training induces multiple metabolic changes not directly related to the acute exercise response. Conclusion: The human skeletal muscle metabolome is sensitive towards acute RE in the trained and untrained states and reflects a broad range of adaptive processes in response to repeated stimulation.

Serum Metabolites Associated with Muscle Hypertrophy after 8 Weeks of High- and Low-Load Resistance Training

“…The study by Gehlert, Weinisch, Romisch-Margl, Jaspers, Artati, Adamski, Dyar, Aussieker, Jacko, Bloch, Wackerhage and Kastenmuller [ 21 ] had already analyzed the metabolic response after acute resistance exercise and after an additional period of resistance training. Fourteen young male subjects with moderate resistance training experience participated in this experiment, six of whom provided sufficient muscle samples for metabolomics analysis.…”

“…The comparison showed that only five of the metabolites that had changed after the acute exercise in the first training session were also changed after the last training session. However, it is important to emphasize that the study by Gehlert, Weinisch, Romisch-Margl, Jaspers, Artati, Adamski, Dyar, Aussieker, Jacko, Bloch, Wackerhage and Kastenmuller [ 21 ] did not analyze the metabolic response during low-load training, but only the response in high-load training (8 to 12 maximum repetitions). Thus, it is not possible to compare low- and high-load exercise.…”

“…Although several studies have highlighted metabolite accumulation as a potential mechanism to induce muscle hypertrophy [ 17 , 18 , 19 ], few have investigated which metabolite is a viable candidate for signaling skeletal muscle hypertrophy in humans [ 20 , 21 ]. In addition, we are unaware of any study that has analyzed the metabolome of low-load RT and compared it with that of high-load RT.…”

Mass Sportrometry: An annual look back at applications of mass spectrometry in sport and exercise science

“…They observed that levels were risen in endurance, resistance, and sprint exercise, with the latter showing the most pronounced increases during and for up to 1‐h post‐exercise and heavily associated with concurrent increases in plasma lactate levels. Similarly to this, Gehlert et al 85 . investigated the metabolome of the vastus lateralis (a muscle within the quadriceps group) at three‐time points across a four‐week resistance exercise training program (prior to, after the first session and after the last session).…”

“…Measured levels of three selected metabolites across a 4-week resistance exercise program showing changes following acute (N-lactoylvaline), chronic (1-stearoyl-GPE (P-18:0), and acute/chronic (xanthosine) training. Adapted with permission from Gehlert et al85 (Copyright 2022 by the authors, CC-BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.…”