Muscle glycogen repletion during active postexercise recovery.

High-intensity intermittent bicycle exercise was used to deplete muscle glycogen levels by 70% and elevate blood lactate levels to greater than 13.0 mmol/l. Thereafter subjects either cycled with one leg for 45 min followed by 45 min of passive recovery (partially active recovery) or rested for 90 min (passive recovery). During the first 45 min of partially active recovery 1) blood lactate (P less than 0.05) and pH levels (P less than 0.05) returned more rapidly to preexercise values than during passive recovery, 2) the rate of net glycogen resynthesis (0.28 mumol . g-1 . min-1) was the same in both legs, and 3) muscle lactate levels were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in the passive than in the active leg. Thereafter the rate of net muscle glycogen resynthesis was unchanged (0.26 mumol . g-1 . min-1) and lactate removal could theoretically account for only 18% of the glycogen resynthesized. Overall, the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis and muscle lactate removal was not different from that measured during passive recovery. After high-intensity exercise 1) glycogen repletion is not impeded by light exercise, and 2) blood glucose is an important substrate for glycogen resynthesis.