Training Effects on Fuel Metabolism

Insulin resistance plays a critical role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), with skeletal muscle the largest site of insulin resistance in the human body. In sedentary humans, insulin resistance correlates with levels of intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) and lipid metabolites that adversely affect skeletal muscle glucose metabolism. However, even modest endurance training has been shown to reduce insulin resistance while increasing skeletal muscle IMCL. Moreover, lean endurance trained participants have IMCL levels comparable to those of patients with T2DM, yet have significantly lower insulin resistance. These findings suggest that the physiological changes caused by training protect against lipid induced insulin resistance and that this protection is present even at rest, however our preliminary data suggest that training facilitates utilization of readily available fuel, with lipid preferentially used over glucose when available. We will test the overarching hypothesis that training increases resting skeletal muscle lipid metabolism, as measured by markers of IMCL lipolysis, accumulation of fatty acid metabolites and mitochondrial utilization of fatty acids. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health Award Number UL1-TR002494. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.