The Effect of Low Volume High Intensity Interval Training on Sarcolemmal Content of Fatty Acid Transport Proteins (FAT/CD36 and FABPpm) in Young Men

High-intensity interval training (HIT) induces skeletal muscle metabolic and performance adaptations that resemble traditional endurance training despite a low total exercise volume. On the other hand, fatty acid oxidation is increases in skeletal muscle with endurance training. This process is regulated in several sites, including the transport of fatty acids across the plasma membrane. The transportation across this membrane is recognized to be primarily protein mediated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of low-volume high intensity interval training on protein content of sarcolemmal fatty acids transporters (FAT/CD36 and FABPpm) in young men. Twenty recreationally active young men were assigned to a HIT (n=10, 19.3 yr old, 67.2 kg body wt, and 172.7 cm ht) or Control (n=10, 19.7 yr old, 65.9 kg body wt, and 174.4 cm ht) group. HIT group performed three training sessions per week over 4 weeks. Each session consisted of 8-11×60 s intervals at ∼100% of peak power output elicited during a ramp VO2peak test separated by 75 s of recovery. Skeletal muscle (vastus lateralis) biopsy samples were obtained before and after training. HIT increased (17.5%)VO2peak (p<0.05). Also, after 4 weeks low-volume HIT, sarcolemmal content of CD36 and FABPpm increased 14 and 25 percent ,respectively (p<0.05). Therefore, the results showed that the practical model of low-volume HIT could increase aerobic capacity and sarcolemmal content of CD36 and FABPpm. The increase indicates that the facilitation of in muscle fatty acid transportation can be adapted which in turn increases the fat oxidation capacity.