Substrate utilization by the inactive leg during one-leg or arm exercise

Abstract

Substrate utilization by the nonexercising leg was studied in healthy subjects during one-leg exercise at an average work load of 105 W for 40 min (n equals 8) or during arm exercise at 65 W for 20 min (n equals 5). During one-leg exercise both the blood flow and the A-FV difference of oxygen for the non exercising leg rose, resulting in an approximately five fold increment in oxygen uptake. EMG activity of the leg was increased above basal. Despite unchanged or falling arterial levels of insulin, the A-FV difference for glucose across the nonexercising leg rose during exercise and the estimated glucose uptake increased approximately fourfold. Release of lactate in the basal state reverted to a significant net uptake of lactate by the nonexercising leg. During arm exercise there was a 20–70% rise in leg blood flow and the leg oxygen uptake rose 25–45% in spite of minimal EMG activity from the thigh muscles. There was a large uptake of lactate by the legs during arm exercise. We conclude that several important metabolic alterations take place in the nonexercising leg tissues during physical exertion: 1) blood flow and oxygen uptake rise, partly as a consequence of motor activation; 2) substrate utilization shifts from a predominant FFA uptake in the basal state to a greater utilization of carbohydrate; 3) nonexercising muscle, and possibly adipose tissue, play an important role in the removal of lactate during exercise.