Exercise and Training responses
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of exercise and training on exercise and mitochondrial efficiency.
IRAS ID
178105
Contact name
James Hopker
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Endurance exercise capacity is largely governed by combined efforts of the cardiorespiratory system, vasculature and muscle cell organelles to deliver and then process oxygen into energy. Each step in this oxygen cascade appears to be important in maximizing maximal oxygen uptake, exercise efficiency and power output. The end point of this cascade lies within the mitochondria, membrane enclosed organelles present in almost all human cells. Mitochondria use oxygen to produce energy for contractile work, a process known as coupled respiration.
Recent studies suggest that when mitochondrial respiration is uncoupled there is a quantitative increase in mitochondria to compensate for the muscle cells decreased capacity to produce energy. However, mitochondrial uncoupling may also be a key physiological antioxidant defence mechanism against the production of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during exercise. The effects of acute and chronic exercise on this balance of increased energy production and the protection from harmful free radicals is yet to be elucidated.
This series of studies aim to establish the physiological mechanisms associated with mitochondrial adaptation following acute exercise and chronic training in trained cyclists, and their subsequent effect on endurance capacity, performance and exercise efficiency.
Participants will undergo exercise testing and muscle biopsies at the University of Kent Sports Science laboratory located at Medway Park for all studies. Exercise testing will include baseline fitness testing, submaximal, and high intensity efficiency cycling tests and performance time trials. During the initial visits participants will be familiarized with the exercise testing and training protocols. Muscle biopsies will be taken at rest and after exercise testing in each of the studies. All muscle biopsies will be performed in the lab by trained individuals. Biopsies will be analysed for mitochondrial oxidative capacity, muscle fibre type and gene expression profiles.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1381
Date of REC Opinion
8 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion