Effects of swimming training on bone mass and the GH/IGF-1 axis in diabetic rats.

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of moderate swimming training on the GH/IGF-1 growth axis and tibial mass in diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were allocated to one of four groups: sedentary control (SC), trained control (TC), sedentary diabetic (SD) and trained diabetic (TD). Diabetes was induced with alloxan (35 mg/kg b.w.). The training program consisted of a 1h swimming session/day with a load corresponding to 5% of the b.w., five days/week for six weeks. At the end of the training period, the rats were sacrificed and blood was collected for quantification of the serum glucose, insulin, GH, and IGF-1 concentrations. Samples of skeletal muscle were used to quantify the IGF-1 peptide content. The tibias were collected to determine their total area, length and bone mineral content. The results were analyzed by ANOVA with P<0.05 indicating significance. Diabetes decreased the serum levels of GH and IGF-1, as well as the tibial length, total area and bone mineral content in the SD group (P<0.05). Physical training increased the serum IGF-1 level in the TC and TD groups when compared to the sedentary groups (SC and SD), and the tibial length, total area and bone mineral content were higher in the TD group than in the SD group (P<0.05). Exercise did not alter the level of IGF-1 in gastrocnemius muscle in nondiabetic rats, but the muscle IGF-1 content was higher in the TD group than in the SD group. These results indicate that swimming training stimulates bone mass and the GH/IGF-1 axis in diabetic rats.

Maximal lactate steady state in rats submitted to swimming exercise.

The higher concentration during exercise at which lactate entry in blood equals its removal is known as 'maximal lactate steady state' (MLSS) and is considered an important indicator of endurance exercise capacity. The aim of the present study was to determine MLSS in rats during swimming exercise. Adult male Wistar rats, which were adapted to water for 3 weeks, were used. After this, the animals were separated at random into groups and submitted once a week to swimming sessions of 20 min, supporting loads of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10% of body wt. for 6 consecutive weeks. Blood lactate was determined every 5 min to find the MLSS. Sedentary animals presented MLSS with overloads of 5 and 6% at 5.5 mmol/l blood lactate. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in blood lactate with the other loads. In another set of experiments, rats of the same strain, sex and age were submitted daily to 60 min of swimming with an 8% body wt. overload, 5 days/week, for 9 weeks. The rats were then submitted to a swimming session of 20 min with an 8% body wt. overload and blood lactate was determined before the beginning of the session and after 10 and 20 min of exercise. Sedentary rats submitted to the same acute exercise protocol were used as a control. Physical training did not alter the MLSS value (P<0.05) but shifted it to a higher exercise intensity (8% body wt. overload). Taken together these results indicate that MLSS measured in rats in the conditions of the present study was reproducible and seemed to be independent of the physical condition of the animals.

Serum electrolyte and total protein alterations in Pantaneiro horse during long distance exercise

Blood samples were taken from eight Pantaneiro horses during a 76Km endurance ride. The horses were divided into two groups: 1- four horses kept on native pasture, without working and with no supplementation during one month before the ride, 2- four horses kept on native pasture with supplementation and submitted to work during one month before the ride. Serum concentration of total protein, albumin, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphorus were measured. Samples were taken before the ride (preride), during the mid point (midride), at the end of the ride (postride) and after a 30-minute recovery period (rest). Sweat samples were collected from five horses at the end of the ride to measure sodium, potassium, and chloride. In the groups, there was a significant decrease in calcium and potassium, and an increase in sodium and phosphorus during the ride. Heart rate values after 30 minutes of rest indicated a good recovery response

Regulatory mechanisms of blood lactate production during exercise in man.

During cycloergometric exercise at progressively increasing loads, blood lactate concentration increased about 12-fold. Pyruvate concentration decreased initially (for loads of 50-75 W), increased with loads of 75 to 125 W and then decreased again until the end of exercise. The malate concentration increased abruptly between 50 and 75 W, followed by a slow decline; citrate increased about nine-fold as the exercise load was increased to 125 W and then fell sharply. Thus, the production of lactate during low-intensity exercise seems to occur by the "mass-action effect" caused by enhanced glycolysis, whereas with moderate loads the glycolysis rate is very much reduced and most of the lactate production seems to involve the action of the malate-aspartate shuttle. For high-intensity exercise, both mechanisms appear to participate in lactate production.

Regulatory mechanisms of blood lactate production during exercise in man

During cycloergometric exercise at progressively increasing loads, blood lactate concentration increased about 12-fold. Pyruvate concentration decreased initially(for loads of 50-75 W), increased with loads of 75 to 125 W and then decreased again until the end of exercise. the malate concentration increased abruptly between 50 and 75 W, followed by a slow decline; citrate increased about nine-fold as the exercise load was increased to 125 W and then fell sharply. Thus, the production of lactate during low-intensity exercise seems to occur by the "mass-action effect" caused by enhanced glycolysis, whereas with moderate loads the glycolysis rate is very much reduced and most of the lactate production seems to involve the action of the malate-aspartate shuttle. For high-intensity exercise, both mechanisms appear to participate in lactate production