Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between muscle fiber composition, body composition, resting glycemic–lipidemic blood profiles, in apparently healthy, young, active females.
Methods
Thirty-four young healthy female volunteers were allocated into two groups, depending on their Vastus Lateralis type IIx muscle fibers percent cross-sectional area (%CSA; H: high type IIx %CSA; L: low type IIx %CSA). Body composition was determined via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Venous blood samples were collected for the determination of resting serum glucose, Insulin, Apo-A1, HOMA-IR, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), High-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) concentrations. Nutritional intake was also evaluated.
Results
Individuals of the H group have significantly higher body mass, body fat percentage-mass, and resting blood indices of glycemic and lipidemic profiles, compared to those of L group (p < 0.001). Increased type IIx and low type I, IIa muscle fibers %CSAs were linked with poorer body composition, glycemic and lipidemic blood profiles (r: − 0.722 to 0.740, p < 0.001). Linear regression analyses revealed that the impact of muscle fibers %CSA (B coefficients ranged between − 0.700 and 0.835) on the above parameters, was at least, of the same or even of greater magnitude as that of body composition and daily nutritional intake (B: − 0.700 to 0.666).
Conclusion
Increased type IIx and low Type I, IIa %CSAs are associated with poorer body composition and glycemic–lipidemic profiles in young healthy females. The contribution of the muscle fiber %CSA on health status seems to be comparable to that of nutrition and body composition.
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Data available after a reasonable request from the corresponding author.
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Abbreviations
- %CSA:
-
Percentage cross-sectional area of muscle occupied by each muscle fiber type
- Apo-AI:
-
Apolipoprotein A-I
- B:
-
Standardized Beta coefficient of linear regression analysis
- BFMI:
-
Body fat mass index
- BMI:
-
Body mass index
- DXA:
-
Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
- H group:
-
High type IIx %CSA
- HDL-C:
-
High-density lipoprotein
- HOMA-IR:
-
Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance
- ICC:
-
Intraclass correlation coefficient
- L group:
-
Low type IIx %CSA
- LBM:
-
Lean body mass
- LBMI:
-
Lean body mass index
- LDL-C:
-
Low-density lipoprotein
- TG:
-
Triglycerides
- VL:
-
Vastus lateralis
- VLDL:
-
Very-low-density lipoprotein
- TC:
-
Total cholesterol
- GLUT4:
-
Glucose transporter type 4
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank the participants for their efforts and consistency throughout the study.
Funding
Part of the study was funded by the Postgraduate Programme of “Applied Nutrition and Dietetics” of Harokopio University.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. CRediT author statement: SM: Conceptualization, Visualization, Methodology, Project Administration, Validation, Writing—Original Draft, Writing—Review and Editing. TN: Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Resources, Writing—Review and Editing, Supervision. TM: Investigation, Data Curation, Formal Anal ysis. EK: Investigation, Data Curation, Formal Analysis. EE: Investigation, Data Curation, Formal Analysis. CP: Investigation, Methodology, Writing—Review and Editing. GP: Investigation, Methodology, Writing—Review and Editing. GT: Conceptualization, Visualization, Writing—Review and Editing, Supervision.
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All experimental procedures used, comply with local governmental laws for human subjects. The study approved by the School of Physical Education and Sports Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece ethics committee (Ref. No. 1039/14-02-2018).
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Methenitis, S., Nomikos, T., Mpampoulis, T. et al. Type IIx muscle fibers are related to poor body composition, glycemic and lipidemic blood profiles in young females: the protective role of type I and IIa muscle fibers. Eur J Appl Physiol 124, 585–594 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05302-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05302-4