The Effect of Physical Training on Skeletal Muscle Enzyme Composition in Pigs

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Abstract
Running exercise in pigs results in an elevation of lactic acid in blood. This elevation in blood lactate does not occur in physically conditioned pigs. Activities of succinic dehydrogenase, fructose-l,6-diphosphate aldolase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine Phosphokinase as well as the myoglobin content were determined in m. gastrocnemius from 6 ergometer-trained and 4 untrained pigs. The succinic dehydrogenase and myoglobin contents were significantly higher (P<0.01) in trained animals, whereas no changes were noted in the aldolase and creatine Phosphokinase contents. The lactate dehydrogenase showed somewhat reduced levels in the trained pigs. This was accompanied by an increased H/M subunit ratio. The results provide evidence for an increase in the maximal aerobic metabolism in trained pigs and that trained pigs to a higher extent can rely on an aerobic energy metabolism during running exercise.