Impacts of altered exercise volume, intensity, and duration on the activation of AMPK and CaMKII and increases in PGC-1? mRNA

The purpose of this review is to explore and discuss the impacts of augmented training volume, intensity, and duration on the phosphorylation/activation of key signaling protein - AMPK, CaMKII and PGC-1 alpha - involved in the initiation of mitochondrial biogenesis. Specifically, we explore the impacts of augmented exercise protocols on AMP/ADP and Ca2+ signaling and changes in post exercise PGC - 1 alpha gene expression. Although AMP/ADP concentrations appear to increase with increasing intensity and during extended durations of higher intensity exercise AMPK activation results are varied with some results supporting and intensity/duration effect and others not. Similarly, CaMKII activation and signaling results following exercise of different intensities and durations are inconsistent. The PGC-1 alpha literature is equally inconsistent with only some studies demonstrating an effect of intensity on post exercise mRNA expression. We present a novel meta-analysis that suggests that the inconsistency in the PGC-1 alpha literature may be due to sample size and statistical power limitations owing to the effect of intensity on PGC-1 alpha expression being small. There is little data available regarding the impact of exercise duration on PGC-1 alpha expression. We highlight the need for future well designed, adequately statistically powered, studies to clarify our understanding of the effects of volume, intensity, and duration on the induction of mitochondrial biogenesis by exercise.

Automated summary

The purpose of this review is to explore the impacts of augmented training volume, intensity, and duration on the activation of key signaling proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. The results of the studies are inconsistent, with some supporting the effects of intensity and duration on AMPK and CaMKII activation, while others do not. The literature on PGC-1 alpha expression is also inconsistent, and a meta-analysis suggests that the small effect size and limitations in sample size and statistical power may contribute to this inconsistency.