BLOOD KETONE BODIES IN RELATION TO CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM IN MUSCULAR EXERCISE

Abstract

The effect of work (bicycle ergometer) on the blood ketone bodies, glucose, lactate, pyruvate and Hb was detd. in human subjects on normal and on ketogenic diets and on fed and fasted guinea pigs running on a motor driven treadmill, in which muscle lactate and muscle and liver glycogen changes also were followed. Pedalling at 0.097 H.P. for 15 min. (ketogenic diet) produced a highly significant drop in blood ketone bodies (3.01 [plus or minus] 0.89 mg. %); the drop in blood glucose which appears on a normal diet failed to occur. Cessation of work resulted in a significant increase in ketone bodies. Fasted guinea pigs showed a lower utilization of carbohydrate stores for the same amt. of work than fed ones. It appears that ketone bodies can be utilized by muscles; during exercise their rate of production by the liver is increased but this becomes apparent only during deficiency of carbohydrate stores.