Reduced plasma FFA availability increases net triacylglycerol degradation, but not GPAT or HSL activity, in human skeletal muscle

Intramuscular triacylglycerols (IMTG) are proposed to be an important metabolic substrate for contracting muscle, although this remains controversial. To test the hypothesis that reduced plasma free fatty acid (FFA) availability would increase IMTG degradation during exercise, seven active men cycled for 180 min at 60% peak pulmonary O2 uptake either without (CON) or with (NA) prior ingestion of nicotinic acid to suppress adipose tissue lipolysis. Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue biopsy samples were obtained before and at 90 and 180 min of exercise. NA ingestion decreased (P < 0.05) plasma FFA at rest and completely suppressed the exercise-induced increase in plasma FFA (180 min: CON, 1.42 ± 0.07; NA, 0.10 ± 0.01 mM). The decreased plasma FFA during NA was associated with decreased (P < 0.05) adipose tissue hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) activity (CON: 13.9 ± 2.5, NA: 9.1 ± 3.0 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1).