Muscle metabolism of professional athletes using 31P-spectroscopy.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine muscle metabolism in athletes by 31P-spectroscopy (MRS) and to evaluate to what degree the respective resonance spectrum correlates with the kind of muscle exercise.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Twelve runners and 12 young ice skaters were studied by 31P-spectroscopy of the gastrocnemic medialis muscle and the vastus medialis muscle using a surface coil at 1.5 T.

RESULTS

Sprinters displayed a higher phosphocreatinine/inorganic phosphate (PCr/Pi) and PCr/beta-ATP ratios than marathon runners. The respective parameters for middle distance runners were in between. Ice skaters could prospectively be divided into sprint- and long-distance runners by our results which correlated with the athletes' training performance.

CONCLUSION

31P-spectroscopy can evaluate the distribution of muscle fiber types. Thus, the athlete's potential for sprint- or long-distance running can be determined. Additional studies will have to demonstrate to what extent training may change muscle fiber distribution.