Effect of exercise training on the rates of fatty acid synthesis in mice

The present study has investigated the respective effects of training and exercise on the rates of fatty acid synthesis in mice. Male C57B1 10ScSn mice were trained by forced swimming in a tank at 36°C for 2 h each day for a 28-day period. Rates of fatty acid synthesis were determined in vivo by measuring the incorporation of tritium from 3H2O into tissue fatty acids. At the end of the training programme, both sedentary and trained mice were assigned to either exercising or resting groups. The results obtained show that both training and exercise affected the rates of fatty acid synthesis, regardless of whether the results are expressed per gram of tissue or per whole tissue. Training led to significant decreases in the rates of synthesis in the liver, interscapular brown adipose tissue, epididymal white adipose tissue, and the remaining carcass, particularly in resting mice. The rates of fatty acid synthesis in the major lipogenic tissues were also lower during exercise than under sedentary conditions. The reduction in synthesis in brown adipose tissue was noteworthy in view of the high capacity of this tissue for fatty acid synthesis. In conclusion, it is suggested that in exercise-trained mice carbohydrate is shunted away from the synthesis of lipid in favour of energy storage as glycogen.