#39 - Why muscle glycogen is important with Dr Niels Ørtenblad

Mar 25, 2023

Dr Niels Ørtenblad, an expert on muscle glycogen from the University of Southern Denmark, discusses the history of muscle glycogen research, the effects of diet and exercise on glycogen levels, the correlation between glycogen and muscle fatigue, and the efficiency of carbohydrate use during exercise. The podcast also explores the relationship between exercise intensity and glycogen utilization, the impact of calcium levels on glycogen depletion, and the importance of collaboration in scientific research.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Pronouncing Danish names and muscle glycogen

01:30 • 4min

The Evolution of Understanding Muscle Glycogen

05:59 • 14min

Glycogen Utilization and Exercise Intensity

19:38 • 19min

Effects of Exercise Intensity on Calcium Levels and Muscle Glycogen

38:36 • 18min

Muscle Glycogen and Metabolism in Diabetes

56:58 • 9min

Career Challenges and the Value of Collaboration in Scientific Research

01:05:36 • 2min

Outsourcing, Collaboration, and Muscle Glycogen

01:07:44 • 6min

Dr Glenn McConell chats with Professor Niels Ørtenblad from the University of Southern Denmark. He is an expert on muscle glycogen. We discussed the history of muscle glycogen and exercise research, the effect of diet and exercise training on muscle glycogen levels and use, the distribution and use of muscle glycogen within different muscle fibre compartments, unusual to fully deplete muscle glycogen during exercise
and the potential role of muscle glycogen depletion in muscle fatigue. Very interesting stuff. Niel’s Twitter: @nortenblad.
0:00. Introduction and Niels background
6:15. History of the study of muscle glycogen and exercise
9:15. Muscle glycogen and lactate
11:38. Correlation does not imply causation
12:10. Fat use during exercise is less efficient than CHO
14:12. Diet, muscle glycogen and exercise performance
16:00. 1920s and 1930s a golden age of exercise physiology
18:20. Bengt Saltin undertook 30,000 muscle biopsies
20:00. Effect of intensity and duration on muscle glycogen use
21:20. Diet and muscle glycogen use
23:15. High glycogen results in high glycogen use during ex
24:33. Exercise training results in higher muscle glycogen levels
25:51. Why “waste” muscle glycogen when it’s high
27:30. Energy faster from carbohydrate than from fat
28:40. Carbohydrate ingestion and muscle glycogen use
32:05. Glycogen particles / location within the muscle and fatigue
36:51. Calcium release, glycogen levels and fatigue
40:20. Unusual to fully deplete muscle glycogen during exercise
42:40. Muscle glycogen depletion in different muscle fibers
45:30. How muscle glycogen effects muscle calcium release
49:55. How muscle glycogen effects muscle calcium uptake
51:53. Muscle glycogen and excitation-contraction coupling
57:18. Diabetes and muscle glycogen use during exercise
58:17. Muscle glycogen use during exercise in male vs females
59:24. Need really high muscle glycogen?/increases body weight
1:04:16. Studies he’s excited to do
1:05:38. Should try to disprove your hypothesis
1:08:20. Takeaway messages
1:09:30. Glycogen particle size with glycogen use/diet
1:13:40. Outro (9 secs)
Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of research in exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise’s effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all.
The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University.
He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9).
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