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Metabolic Factors in Skeletal Muscle Fatigue

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Exercise Metabolism

Part of the book series: Physiology in Health and Disease ((PIHD))

Abstract

We here discuss metabolic causes of skeletal muscle fatigue with focus on peripheral fatigue, that is, negative transient effects on muscle contractility manifested as decreased force production, reduced shortening speed and/or slowed relaxation. We specifically address the following fatigue-related metabolic changes: (1) [ATP] normally remains almost constant but might decrease to critically low levels in severe fatigue where the accompanying transient increase in [ADP] would reduce shortening speed and hence power output. (2) The increase in inorganic phosphate ions (Pi) during intense exercise has a central role in fatigue by reducing the myofibrillar force generating capacity and Ca2+ sensitivity and by attenuating sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release. (3) Acidosis occurs during intense exercise and may depress myofibrillar contractile function; its importance is currently debated. (4) Increases in reactive oxygen/nitrogen species during intense exercise can induce long-lasting protein modifications that delay the recovery after exercise. (5) The depletion of intramyofibrillar glycogen during prolonged exercise is well correlated with decreased force due to impaired SR Ca2+ release. Thus, several metabolic alterations contribute to skeletal muscle fatigue, and the relative importance of these depends on factors such as the type of exercise, muscle fibre composition and the training status of the exercising individual.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Chris Donnelly for assistance in summarizing Fig. 17.3. The work was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Research Council for Sport Science and the Swiss Sports Medicine Society.

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  1. Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Nicolas Place

  2. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    HÃ¥kan Westerblad

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Correspondence to HÃ¥kan Westerblad .

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  1. Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Glenn McConell

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Place, N., Westerblad, H. (2022). Metabolic Factors in Skeletal Muscle Fatigue. In: McConell, G. (eds) Exercise Metabolism. Physiology in Health and Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9_17

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