Iron deficiency: improved exercise performance within 15 hours of iron treatment in rats.
We tested the hypothesis that a very rapid improvement in exercise performance of iron-deficient rats after treatment with iron might reveal a rate-limiting role of ionic iron as an enzyme cofactor in energy metabolism. Rats were given iron-deficient or control diets after weaning at 21 d of age and intraperitoneal iron dextran (50 mg/kg) at 45 d of age. Time to fatigue during an easy walking exercise (endurance) was measured 15 and 18 h after iron dextran or saline injection. Endurance increased more than threefold compared to the saline-treated, iron-deficient animals without a significant change in hemoglobin concentration. This prompt improvement suggests that lack of cofactor iron might play a metabolically important role in impairing exercise performance in the severely iron-deficient rat.
University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine 94143.
W T
WT
Willis
K
K
Gohil
G A
GA
Brooks
P R
PR
Dallman
D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D007655:Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011771:Pyruvate Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D006454:Hemoglobins; C021526:malate oxidase; D007501:Iron; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; D011771:Pyruvate Oxidase; D007655:Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex; D002331:Carnitine