Summary
The effect of muscle hypertrophy on the relationship between magnetic resonance (MR) relaxation time and muscle fibre composition was investigated. Relaxation time and muscle fibre composition were measured in five subjects before and after a 20-week period of strength training. Muscle fibre composition in all subjects exhibited a significant shift to a predominance of fast-twitch (FT) fibres as a result of 20-week strength training (% area FT fibres: mean values from 49.8%, SD 17.9% to 57%, SD 5.6%; P<0.05). Longitudinal relaxation time (T1) and transverse relaxation time (T2) were prolonged significantly after strength training (T1 mean values from 334.9 ms, SD 13.6 to 359.0 ms, SD 9.0, P<0.001; T2 from 27.5 ms, SD 0.9 to 30.8 ms, SD 2.3, P<0.05). A constant relationship was observed in changes caused by strength training in muscle fibre composition (% area FT) and relaxation time, with a high correlation obtained between both parameters. These results indicate that MR relaxation time can be used for non-invasive estimation of muscle fibre composition.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bergström J (1962) Muscle electrolytes in man. Scand J Clin Lab Invest [Suppl 68] 14: 1–110
Costill DL, Daniels J, Evans W, Fink W, Krahenbuhl G, Saltin B (1976a) Skeletal muscle enzymes and fiber composition in male and female track athletes. J Appl Physiol 40: 149–154
Costill DL, Fink WJ, Pollock ML (1976b) Muscle fiber composition and enzyme activities of elite distance runners. Med Sci Sports 8: 96–100
Costill DL, Fink WJ, Hargreaves M, King DS, Thorns R, Fielding R (1985) Metabolic characteristics of skeletal muscle during detraining from competitive swimming. Med Sci Sports Exerc 17: 339–343
Gollnick PD, Armstrong RB, Saubert IV CW, Piehl K, Saltin B (1972) Enzyme activity and fiber composition in skeletal muscle of untrained and trained men. J Appl Physiol 33: 312–319
Hazlewood CF, Change DC, Nichols BL, Woessner DE (1974) Nuclear magnetic resonance transverse relaxation times of water protons in skeletal muscle. Biophys J 14: 583–606
Jacobs I, Westlin N, Karlsson J, Rasmusson M, Houghton B (1982) Muscle glycogen and diet in elite soccer players. Eur J Appl Physiol 48: 297–302
Kuno S, Katsuta S, Inouye T, Anno I, Matsumoto K, Akisada M (1988) Relationship between MR relaxation time and muscle fiber composition. Radiology 169: 567–568
MacDougall JD, Ward GR, Sale DG, Sutton JR (1977) Biochemical adaptation of human skeletal muscle to heavy resistance training and immobilization. J Appl Physiol 43: 700–703
MacDougall JD, Sale DG, Sutton JR, Howald H (1979) Mitochondrial volume density in human skeletal muscle following heavy resistance training. Med Sci Sports 11: 164–166
Novikoff AB, Shin W, Drucker J (1961) Mitochondrial localization of oxidative enzymes; staining results with two tetrazolium salts. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9: 47–61
Oelz O, Howald H (1986) Physiological profile of worldclass high-altitude climbers. J Appl Physiol 60: 1734–1742
Ohsaka A, Yoshikawa K (1985) Physical state of water in living systems (in Japanese). Med Philos 4: 97–103
Padykula HA, Herman E (1955) The specificity of the histochemical method for adenosine triphosphatase. J Histochem Cytochem 3: 170–195
Prince FP, Hikida RS, Hagerman FC (1977) Muscle fiber types in women athletes and non-athletes. Pflügers Arch 371: 161–165
Saryan LA, Hollis DP, Ecnonomou JS, Eggleston JC (1974) Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 52: 599–602
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kuno, Sy., Katsuta, S., Akisada, M. et al. Effect of strength training on the relationship between magnetic resonance relaxation time and muscle fibre composition. Eur J Appl Physiol 61, 33–36 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236690
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236690