Int J Sports Med 2011; 32(9): 683-687
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1279732
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

MSTN mRNA After Varying Exercise Modalities in Humans

T. Schiffer1 , S. Geisler2 , B. Sperlich3 , H. K. Strüder2
  • 1German Sport University Cologne, Outpatient Clinic for Sports Traumatology and Public Health Consultation, Cologne, Germany
  • 2German Sport University Cologne, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, Cologne, Germany
  • 3German Sport University Cologne, Institute of Training Science and Sport Informatics, Cologne, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision April 22, 2011

Publication Date:
21 June 2011 (online)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of strength and endurance training on myostatin mRNA in the vastus lateralis muscle of healthy and physically active humans. 21 healthy and physically active sports students (static and dynamic knee extensor strength 33±4.5 N/kgBW; 1 185±170 W, respectively; maximum oxygen uptake 52.5±8 ml/kgBW/min) were recruited and randomly assigned to a moderate endurance training group (n=7), a strength training group (n=7) and a control group (n=7). Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle 3–5 days before the start as well as at the end of the 12 weeks’ training period. Exercise-specific functional improvements after moderate endurance training and strength training were measured for submaximal endurance and for static and dynamic strength of the knee extensor muscles. None of the myostatin mRNA values showed significant pre-post differences or group-specific differences. These results are in contrast to data with sedentary subjects, suggesting that myostatin is necessary for adaptations of skeletal muscle to exercise stress. We conclude that functional improvements after moderate endurance training and strength training can occur without alterations in myostatin mRNA in physically active humans.

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Correspondence

Dr. Thorsten Schiffer

German Sport University

Cologne

Outpatient Clinic for Sports

Traumatology and Public Health

Consultation

Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6

50933 Cologne

Germany

Phone: + 49/2214/982 31 90

Fax: + 49/2214/982 83 10

Email: t.schiffer@dshs-koeln.de

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