The purpose of this study was to determine whether the initial rate of hemoglobin and myoglobin deoxygenation during immediate postexercise ischemia, a reflection of muscle O2 consumption (VO2mus), can be a quantitative measure of muscle oxidative metabolism. The finger flexor muscles of five healthy men (aged 25-31 yr) were monitored by 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy for changes in phosphocreatine (PCr), Pi, and pH. Tests were conducted during 15 min of cuff ischemia and during 5 min of submaximal isotonic grip exercise at 10, 20, 30, and 40% of maximal voluntary contraction, one contraction every 4 s. The VO2mus changes were also monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy with continuous wave. The VO2mus during exercise was expressed relative to the resting value. The resting metabolic rate, calculated from the PCr breakdown rate after complete O2 depletion, was 0.0010 (SD) mM ATP/s. During submaximal exercise (pH > 6.9), the VO2mus increased with a rise in intensity (0.036 +/- 0.011, 0.054 +/- 0.016, 0.062 +/- 0.012, and 0.067 +/- 0.020 mM ATP/s during 10, 20, 30, and 40% maximal voluntary contraction, respectively) and showed significant correlation with changes in both calculated ADP and PCr values (r2 = 0.98 and r2 = 0.99, respectively). In conclusion, because of the significant correlation with regulatory metabolites (ADP and PCr) of oxidative phosphorylation, O2 decline rate in immediate postexercise ischemia determined by near-infrared spectroscopy with continuous wave can be utilized for the quantitative evaluation of localized muscle oxidative metabolism.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the quantitative measurement of muscle oxidative metabolism in exercise by near-infrared continuous-wave spectroscopy (NIRcws). Twelve male subjects performed two bouts of dynamic handgrip exercise, once for the NIRcws measurement and once for the (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measurement as a standard measure. The resting muscle metabolic rate (RMRmus) was independently measured by (31)P-MRS during 15 min of arterial occlusion at rest. During the first exercise bout, the quantitative value of muscle oxidative metabolic rate at 30 s postexercise was evaluated from the ratio of the rate of oxyhemoglobin/myoglobin decline measured by NIRcws during arterial occlusion 30 s after exercise and the rate at rest. Therefore, the absolute values of muscle oxidative metabolic rate at 30 s after exercise [VO(2NIR(30))] was calculated from this ratio multiplied by RMRmus. During the second exercise bout, creatine phosphate (PCr) resynthesis rate was measured by (31)P-MRS at 30 s postexercise [Q((30))] under the same conditions but without arterial occlusion postexercise. To determine the validity of NIRcws, VO(2NIR(30)) was compared with Q((30)). There was a significant correlation between VO(2NIR(30)), which ranged between 0.018 and 0. 187 mM ATP/s, and Q((30)), which ranged between 0.041 and 0.209 mM ATP/s (r = 0.965, P < 0.001). This result supports the application of NIRcws to quantitatively evaluate muscle oxidative metabolic rate in exercise.

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study investigated the effect of blackcurrant anthocyanin (BCA) intake on peripheral circulation during rest and during typing work by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and it also assessed improvement in shoulder stiffness caused by poor local circulation. In a resting circulation study, nine healthy male subjects took capsules of BCA at a dosage of 17 mg kg(-1) or placebo (isoenergetic sugar). NIRS was used to measure left forearm blood flow (FBF) following venous occlusion and muscle oxygen consumption following arterial occlusion prior to and hourly for 4 h after ingestion of BCA. Plasma anthocyanin concentration was measured prior to ingestion and 1, 2, and 4 h later. FBF increased significantly 2 h after BCA ingestion [BCA 1.22 (0.13)-fold increase relative to pre-values vs placebo 0.83 (0.06) of pre-values; P < 0.05] and then tended to increase for a further 3 h after ingestion [BCA 1.26 (0.15)-fold increase relative to pre-values vs placebo 0.82 (0.07) of pre-values; P = 0.078]. There was, however, no significant difference in muscle oxygen consumption between BCA and placebo intake at any time point. In a typing work study, 11 healthy subjects took capsules of BCA (7.7 mg kg(-1)) or placebo (isoenergetic sugar) daily for 2 weeks. The subjects then performed intermittent typing workload for 30 min in order to induce acute shoulder stiffness. During the workload, total hemoglobin and oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) were determined using NIRS and myoelectric signals measured in the right trapezius muscle using electromyography (EMG). The viscoelasticity of the trapezius muscle was also evaluated using a muscle stiffness meter before and after the typing workload. BCA intake prevented the decrease in oxy-Hb significantly (P < 0.05), and also tended to alleviate the increase in root mean square (RMS) of the EMG during the typing workload, and also muscle stiffness after the workload. There was no improvement in typing performance with BCA intake. The results of this study suggest that intake of BCA may improve shoulder stiffness caused by typing work by increasing peripheral blood flow and reducing muscle fatigue.

The redistribution of blood flow (BF) in the abdominal viscera during right-legged knee extension-flexion exercise at very low intensity [peak heart rate (HR), 76 beats/min] was examined by using Doppler ultrasound. While sitting, subjects performed a right-legged knee extension-flexion exercise every 6 s for 20 min. BF was measured in the upper abdominal aorta (Ao), right common femoral artery (RCFA), and left common femoral artery (LCFA). Visceral BF (BFVis) was determined by the equation [BFAo - (BFRCFA + BFLCFA)]. A comparison with the change in BF (DeltaBF) preexercise showed a greater increase in DeltaBFRCFA than in DeltaBFAo during exercise. This resulted in a reduction of BFVis to 56% of its preexercise value or a decrease in flow by 1,147 +/- 293 (+/-SE) ml/min at the peak workload. Oxygen consumption correlated positively with DeltaBFAo, DeltaBFRCFA, and DeltaBFLCFA but inversely with DeltaBFVis during exercise and recovery. Furthermore, BFVis (% of preexercise value) correlated inversely with both an increase in HR (r = -0.89), and percent peak oxygen consumption (r = -0.99). This study demonstrated that, even during very-low-intensity exercise (HR <90 beats/min), there was a significant shift in BF from the viscera to the exercising muscles.