Intramuscular triacylglycerol: an important energetic substrate for endurance exercise

Free fatty acids represent an important source of energy during endurance exercise. Plasmatic fatty acids are delivered to skeletal muscle as free fatty acids bounded to albumin or associated to triacylglycerol (TAG) found in lipoproteins. However, besides these plasmatic sources, hydrolysis of intramuscular TAG also contributes to increase fatty acids availability during endurance exercise. The objective of the present study was to access the role of intramuscular TAG as an energetic substrate to endurance exercise. The present data suggests that the contribution of endogenous intramuscular TAG supplies is quite relevant. Furthermore, it is possible to conclude that endurance training induces an increase of these intramuscular supplies. After endurance training, it is also observed an increase in the utilization of intramuscular TAG. Although the intramuscular TAG seems to be an important energetic substrate, there is a controversy on the actual relative participation of this fuel during endurance exercise. The apparent discrepancy in literature is associated to methodological limitations that have been associated with the strategies used to estimate its oxidation during exercise. In order to deplete this issue, more research using new methods (e.g., utilization of stable isotope methodology, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and electron microscopy) should be conducted.