Rest interval duration does not influence adaptations in acid/base transport proteins following 10 wk of sprint-interval training in active women

Abstract

The removal of protons (H+) produced during intense exercise is important for skeletal muscle function, yet it remains unclear how best to structure exercise training to improve muscle pH regulation. We investigated whether 4 wk of work-matched sprint-interval trining (SIT), performed 3 days/wk, with either 1 ( Rest-1; n = 7) or 5 ( Rest-5; n = 7) min of rest between sprints, influenced adaptations in acid/base transport protein content, nonbicarbonate muscle buffer capacity (βmin vitro), and exercise capacity in active women. Following 1 wk of posttesting, comprising a biopsy, a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test, and a graded-exercise test, maintenance of adaptations was then studied by reducing SIT volume to 1 day/wk for a further 5 wk. After 4 wk of SIT, there was increased protein abundance of monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)-1, sodium/hydrogen exchanger (NHE)-1, and carbonic anhydrase (CA) XIV for both groups, but rest interval duration did not influence the adaptive response. In contrast, greater improvements in total work performed during the RSA test after 4 wk of SIT were evident for Rest-5 compared with Rest-1 (effect size: 0.51; 90% confidence limits ±0.37), whereas both groups had similarly modest improvements in V̇o2peak. When training volume was reduced to 1 day/wk, enhanced acid/base transport protein abundance was maintained, although NHE1 content increased further for Rest-5 only. Finally, our data support intracellular lactate as a signaling molecule for inducing MCT1 expression, but neither lactate nor H+ accumulation appears to be important signaling factors in MCT4 regulation.