Human Forearm Muscle Metabolism During Exercise: IV. Glucose Uptake at Different Work Intensities

Abstract

Concentrations of glucose and lactate were determined in arterial and deep venous blood at rest and during forearm exercise in 16 healthy subjects. At rest there was a statistically significant uptake of glucose to forearm muscle. During exhaustive exercise (n = 13) the arterio-deep venous (a-dv) difference for glucose decreased and was negative at the end of the exercise period and inversely related to the simultaneous lactate deep venous-arterial differ ence. In contrast, positive glucose a-dv differences persisted during moder ately heavy, steady state type exercise (n = 6). Quantitative calculations indicate that there is a considerable increase in glucose uptake during the latter type of exercise in comparison to conditions at rest.

Key Words:

• Exercise
• forearm
• glucose
• lactate
• metabolism
• muscle
• work intensity