Biomaterial Database

Muscle fiber composition and enzyme activities in elite female distance runners. 1987

D L Costill, and W J Fink, and M Flynn, and J Kirwan

Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, IN.

This study has attempted to describe the fiber composition and respiratory potential in the leg (gastrocnemius) muscle of highly trained, elite female distance runners. As noted, many of these women were competing successfully in middle-distance (1500-3000 m) rather than long distance (10 km and marathon) events. This fact appears to explain many of the differences observed between these "elite female runners" and the "elite male runners" studied in the 1975 Dallas study (6). With the exception of differences in muscle fiber areas, the female runners appear to show the same enzyme adaptations to endurance training that have been reported for male runners. The most notable finding of this study was the remarkable similarity of muscle fiber composition and enzyme activity for male and female runners when matched according to their preferred competitive distance.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007866	Leg	The inferior part of the lower extremity between the KNEE and the ANKLE.	Legs
D008297	Male		Males
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D010807	Physical Endurance	The time span between the beginning of physical activity by an individual and the termination because of exhaustion.	Endurance, Physical,Physical Stamina,Stamina, Physical
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D002196	Capillaries	The minute vessels that connect arterioles and venules.	Capillary Beds,Sinusoidal Beds,Sinusoids,Bed, Sinusoidal,Beds, Sinusoidal,Capillary,Capillary Bed,Sinusoid,Sinusoidal Bed
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012420	Running	An activity in which the body is propelled by moving the legs rapidly. Running is performed at a moderate to rapid pace and should be differentiated from JOGGING, which is performed at a much slower pace.	Runnings