Muscle metabolism and ion transport

• Team Danmark (Danish)

• Centre for Team Sport and Health

The project aims to investigate the effects of physical activity in the form of adapted team play as a prevention/rehabilitation method for citizens with chronic diseases and elderly in a practically applicable setup.

The aim of the study is to elucidate the effect of regular physical activity through adapted team play, in a practically applicable setup, in municipal health centres, sports associations/clubs and activity centers on a wide spectrum of health parameters, physical function and mental health in citizens with chronic diseases and the elderly. The study is a block randomized controlled intervention study that runs over 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months of adapted team play training or traditional prevention training. 

The project will be able to contribute useful information about the effects of physical activity in the form of adapted team play as a prevention/rehabilitation method for citizens with chronic diseases and the elderly in a practically applicable setup. Furthermore, the study will highlight 1) the short-term effects (12 weeks) and 2) long-term effects (6-36 months) of team play compared to traditional prevention training.

This knowledge will be beneficial for society and is expected to influence recommendations in the field of prevention, rehabilitation and treatment of chronic diseases for citizens and the elderly. The project also aims to strengthen the retention of physical activity and increase understanding of the effect of team play on mental health, well-being and socialization.

Selected publications

Nørregaard LB, Hansen CC, Wickham KA, Møller S, Olsen K, Ehlers T, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y. (2024). Exercise training alters skeletal muscle microvascular endothelial cell properties in recent postmenopausal females. J Physiol. 2024 Jul;602(14):3449-3468. doi: 10.1113/JP286269. Epub 2024 Jun 1.PMID: 38822814

Pedersen MT, Nørregaard LB, Jensen TD, Frederiksen AS, Ottesen L & Bangsbo J (2022). The effect of 5 years of team sport on elderly males' health and social capital-An interdisciplinary follow-up study. Health Sci Rep. 5(5):e760. 

Nørregaard LB, Wickham KA, Ehlers T, Rocha MP, Fischer M, Lundberg Slingsby MH, Cheung SS, Evans PA, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y. (2023). Exercise training induces thrombogenic benefits in recent but not late postmenopausal females. Am J Physiol. 325(2):H346-361.

Baasch-Skytte T, Gunnarsson TP, Fiorenza M, Bangsbo J. (2021). Skeletal muscle proteins important for work capacity are altered with type 2 diabetes - Effect of 10-20-30 training. Physiol Rep. 9(1):e14681.

Gunnarsson TP, Ehlers TS, Baasch-Skytte T, Lund AP, Tamariz-Ellemann A, Gliemann L, Nyberg M, Bangsbo J. (2020). Hypertension is associated with blunted NO-mediated leg vasodilator responsiveness that is reversed by high-intensity training in postmenopausal women. Am J Physiol. 319(6):R712-R723.

Olsen LN, Hoier B, Hansen CV, Leinum M, Carter HH, Jorgensen TS, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y. (2020). Angiogenic potential is reduced in skeletal muscle of aged women. J Physiol. 598(22):5149-5164.

Ehlers TS, Sverrisdottir Y, Bangsbo J, Gunnarsson TP. (2020). High-Intensity Interval Training Decreases Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Men With Essential Hypertension and in Normotensive Controls. Front Neurosci. 14:841.

Gunnarsson TP, Ehlers TS, Fiorenza M, Nyberg M, Bangsbo J. (2020). Essential hypertension is associated with blunted smooth muscle cell vasodilator responsiveness and is reversed by 10-20-30 training in men. Am J Physiol. 318(6): C1252-C1263.

Status

The projects have continuous recruitment.

Funding

Nordea Foundation

Ministry of Culture

Project period: 2020 - 2029.

Contact

Research Assistant Julie Kissow Kristensen

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective tool to enhance multiple physiologic parameters of importance for performance, including cardiometabolic function, oxygen uptake kinetics, anaerobic power and capacity, ion transport capacity, and muscle fatigue resilience.

HIIT encompasses exercise training performed at intensities near or exceeding the capacity of aerobic energy systems, and its outcome depends on how the training is structured and how it is prescribed. When bouts are performed for a few minutes at intensities corresponding to around 90% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max, i.e. aerobic high-intensity training) is highly beneficial in improving aerobic power and capacity.

When HIIT is conducted at higher intensities, as all-out efforts or sprinting of typically 10- to 40-s duration with longer recovery periods, i.e. speed endurance training (SET), performance is elevated and beneficial adaptations pertaining to anaerobic energy systems and ion handling in already trained individuals are commonly observed. The effect of intensified training, with or without reduction in training volume, on muscle adaptations and performance has been and will be studied further. 

Selected publications

Hostrup M & Bangsbo J. (2023). Performance Adaptations to Intensified Training in Top-Level Football. Sports Med. 53(3):577-594. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01791-z.

Hostrup M, Cairns SP, Bangsbo J. (2021). Muscle Ionic Shifts During Exercise: Implications for Fatigue and Exercise Performance. Compr Physiol. 30; 11(3):1895-1959.

Stocks B, Quesada JP, Mozzicato AM, Jacob C, Jensen S, MacGregor KA, Bangsbo J, Zierath JR, Hostrup M, Deshmukh AS (2025). Temporal dynamics of the interstitial fluid proteome in human skeletal muscle following exhaustive exercise. Sci Adv. 2025 Jan 31;11(5):eadp8608. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adp8608. Epub 2025 Jan 31. PMID: 39889004; PMCID: PMC11784852.

Hostrup M, Lemminger AK, Stocks B, Gonzalez-Franquesa A, Larsen JK, Quesada JP, Thomassen M, Weinert BT, Bangsbo J & Deshmukh AS (2022). High-intensity interval training remodels the proteome and acetylome of human skeletal muscle. Elife. Elife. 31;11:e69802.

Jeppesen JS, Vigh-Larsen JF, Oxfeldt MS, Laustsen NM, Mohr M, Bangsbo J & Hostrup M (2022). Four Weeks of Intensified Training Enhances On-Ice Intermittent Exercise Performance and Increases Maximal Oxygen Consumption of Youth National-Team Ice Hockey Players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 17(10):1507-1515.

Jeppesen JS, Wickham KA, Zeuthen M, Thomassen M, Jessen S, Hellsten Y, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J. (2024). Low-Volume Speed Endurance Training with Reduced Volume Improves Short-Term Exercise Performance in Highly Trained Cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024 Sep 1;56(9):1709-1721. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003453. Epub 2024 Apr 23. PMID: 38650113

Fischer M, Jeppesen JS, Vigh-Larsen JF, Stöhr EJ, Mohr M, Wickham KA, Gliemann L, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y, Hostrup M.(2024). Intensified training augments cardiac function, but not blood volume, in male youth elite ice hockey team players. Exp Physiol. 2024 Jul 16. doi: 10.1113/EP091674. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39014554

Fiorenza M, Onslev J, Henríquez-Olguín C, Persson KW, Hesselager SA, Jensen TE, Wojtaszewski JFP, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J (2024). Reducing the mitochondrial oxidative burden alleviates lipid-induced muscle insulin resistance in humans. Sci Adv. Nov;10(44):eadq4461. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adq4461. Epub 2024 Oct 30. PMID: 39475607; PMCID:

Christensen PM, Andreasen JJ, Lyngholm J, Søgaard O, Lykkestrup J, Hostrup M, Nybo L, Bangsbo J. (2024). Importance of training volume during intensified training in elite cyclists: Maintained versus reduced volume at moderate intensity. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 34(1):e14362.

Hostrup M, Lemminger AK, Thomsen LB, Schaufuss A, Alsøe TL, Bergen GK, Bell AB, Bangsbo J, Thomassen M. (2023). High-Intensity Training Represses FXYD5 and Glycosylates Na,K-ATPase in Type II Muscle Fibres, Which Are Linked with Improved Muscle K+ Handling and Performance. Int J Mol Sci. 24(6):5587.

Thomassen M, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M (2023). Effect of sample fractionation and normalization when immunoblotting for human muscle Na+/K+-ATPase subunits and glycogen synthase. Anal Biochem 666:115071. doi: 10.1016 /j.ab.2023.115071.

Lemminger AK, Fiorenza M, Eibye K, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M (2023). High-Intensity Exercise Training Alters the Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Exercise-Related Muscle Ionic Shifts in Men. Antioxidants 12(1):53.

Status

Various new projects are planned. 

Funding

Team Danmark

Ministry of Culture

Project period: 2000 - 2028.

Contact

Professor Jens Bangsbo

In short duration, high-intensity sporting disciplines, marginal improvements in athletic performance (i.e., milliseconds) can dramatically influence podium position and ultimately impact athletic success. Ischemic pre-conditioning (IPC) which involves intermittent restriction of blood flow to resting or exercising muscles prior to exercise, is a strategy that has been shown to increase short-term high-intensity exercise performance.

IPC at is typically performed by placement of a pressure cuff around the proximal part of the exercising limb followed by intermittent restriction of blood supply for several minutes at pressures ranging from ∼180 to 220 mmHg interspersed by periods without occlusion. IPC has been shown to improve performance by 2%–3% in exercise trials lasting 1–3 min in moderately trained participants, whereas in trained athletes the effect is smaller and findings less consistent.

Another approach with a potentially larger performance benefit is to conduct IPC during low intensity exercise, which has been shown to elicit greater performance benefits. The putative mechanisms by which IPC improves exercise performance may be reduced perception of effort as well as an improvement in oxygen delivery through conduit artery vasodilation. In a number of studies the effect of various types of ischemic pre-conditioning on performance are studied.

Selected publications

Christiansen D, Olsen CBL, Kehler F, Hansen AP, Jessen S, Christensen PM, Bangsbo J. (2022). Active Relative to Passive Ischemic Preconditioning Enhances Intense Endurance Performance in Well-Trained Men. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 17(6): 979-990.

Jessen S, Zeuthen M, Sommer Jeppesen J, Kehler F, Olesen CB, Pallisgaard A, Christiansen D, Bangsbo J. (2024). Active ischemic pre-conditioning does not additively improve short-term high-intensity cycling performance when combined with caffeine ingestion in trained young men. Eur J Sport Sci. 2024 Jun;24(6):693-702. doi: 10.1002/ejsc.12088. Epub 2024 Mar 26. PMID: 38874987 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

Status

Various projects are conducted. 

Funding

Team Danmark

Ministry of Culture

Project period: 2022 - 2028.

Contact

Postdoc Søren Jessen

Advances in exercise and rehabilitation science increasingly focus on modifying exercise training. As such, various training methods have been developed, aiming to meet requirements from various phenotypes and populations.

The most impactful variable to modify in terms of altering perceptions of a specific exercise is the training load. Lowering training load makes exercising more comfortable, eliciting lower respiratory demands. This is especially true in chronic disease populations and novice exercisers. However, dropping training load bears the risk of making the exercise stimulus ineffective.

Accordingly, in a number of exercise and rehabilitation studies we examine training methods that are both comfortable and more effective than traditional methods. One of these is blood-flow restriction training (BFRT). We will investigate whether  BFRT is as effective as high-load strength training in terms of muscle strength and mass gains in healthy populations and athletes, and among other projects, we aim to investigate the effects of BFRT (as low-load power training) and compared to high-load power training on mitochondrial function in in patients with COPD and healthy young people.

Selected publications

Christiansen D, Eibye K, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J. (2021). The effect of blood-flow-restricted interval training on lactate and H+ dynamics during dynamic exercise in man. Acta Physiol 231(3):e13580. doi: 10.1111/apha.13580. Epub 2020 Dec 2. PMID: 33222371.

Christiansen D, Eibye K, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J. (2020). Training with blood flow restriction increases femoral artery diameter and thigh oxygen delivery during knee-extensor exercise in recreationally trained men. J Physiol. 598(12):2337-2353. doi: 10.1113/JP279554.

Christiansen D, Eibye KH, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J. (2019). Blood flow-restricted training enhances thigh glucose uptake during exercise and muscle antioxidant function in humans. Metabolism. 98: 1-15.

Status

Various new projects are planned. 

Funding

Team Danmark

Ministry of Culture

The Danish Council for Independent Research/ Medical and Health Sciences

Project period: 2018 - 2028.

Contact

Professor Jens Bangsbo

Given that small margins often decide placements during sport competitions, athletes and their coaches often seek ergogenic aids that can potentially improve performance.

Some of the most commonly used ergogenic substances for which positive findings on exercise performance have been reported at a meta-analytical level include creatine monohydrate, caffeine and sodium bicarbonate. However, while numerous studies demonstrate that substances have a performance-enhancing potential, their ergogenic effects are less clear when used in combination. It is plausible that ergogenic aids could simultaneously contribute to increased exercise performance.

Beta₂-agonists are among the most used drugs by athletes, which is related to a high prevalence of asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, particularly in endurance sports. The widespread use of beta₂-agonists has raised concerns about their potential performance-enhancing effects. The response to beta₂-agonists is related to dose and may be influenced by factors such as training level.

In a number of studies we investigate the effect of combined ingestion of ergogenic aids trained females and males, as well as the effect of various doses of beta₂-agonists, on performance at different intensities and the cause of potential performance enhancements.

Selected publications

Moesgaard L, Jessen S, Christensen PM, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M. (2024). No additive effect of creatine, caffeine, and sodium bicarbonate on intense exercise performance in endurance-trained individuals. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2024 Apr;34(4):e14629. doi: 10.1111/sms.14629. PMID: 38646853 Clinical Trial.

Jessen S, Quesada JP, Di Credico A, Moreno-Justicia R, Wilson R, Jacobson G, Bangsbo J, Deshmukh AS, Hostrup H (2024). Beta2-Adrenergic Stimulation Induces Resistance Training-Like Adaptations in Human Skeletal Muscle: Potential Role of KLHL41. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2024 Oct;34(10):e14736. doi: 10.1111/sms.1473

Jeppesen JS, Jessen S, Thomassen M, Backer V, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M. (2024). Inhaled beta2 -agonist, formoterol, enhances intense exercise performance, and sprint ability in elite cyclists. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 34(1):e14500.

Onslev J, Fiorenza M, Thomassen M, Havelund J, Bangsbo J, Færgeman N, Wojtaszewski JFP, Hostrup M. (2024). Beta2-agonist impairs muscle insulin sensitivity in persons with insulin resistance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 May 31:dgae381. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgae381. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38820114

Hostrup M, Weinreich C, Bjerre M, Kohlbrenner D, Bangsbo J, Jessen S. (2023). Inhaled salbutamol induces leanness in well-trained healthy females but not males during a period of endurance training: a randomised controlled trial. ERJ Open Res. 9(6):00657

Jessen SK, Lemminger A, Backer V, Fischer M, Di Credico A, Andersen AB, Bangsbo J & Hostrup M (2023). Inhaled formoterol impairs aerobic exercise capacity in endurance-trained individuals: a randomised controlled trial. ERJ Open Res 9(2):00643-2022.

Hostrup M, Knudsen JG, Kristensen CM, Jessen S, Pilegaard H & Bangsbo J. (2022). Beta2 -agonist increases skeletal muscle interleukin 6 production and release in response to resistance exercise in men. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 32(7):1099-1108.

Jessen S, Baasch-Skytte T, Onslev J, Eibye K, Backer V, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M. (2022). Muscle hypertrophic effect of inhaled beta2 -agonist is associated with augmented insulin-stimulated whole-body glucose disposal in young men. J Physiol. 600(10): 2345-2357

Onslev J, Thomassen M, Wojtaszewski J, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M. (2022). Salbutamol increases leg glucose uptake and metabolic rate but not muscle glycogen resynthesis in recovery from exercise. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 107(3) e1193–e1203.

Nyberg M, Christensen PM, Blackwell JR, Hostrup M, Jones AM, Bangsbo J. (2021). Nitrate-rich beetroot juice ingestion reduces skeletal muscle O₂ uptake and blood flow during exercise in sedentary men. J Physiol. 599(23): 5203-5214.

Lemminger AK, Jessen S, Habib S, Onslev J, Xu SFS, Backer V, Bangsbo J, Hostrup M. (2019). Effect of beta2 -adrenergic agonist and resistance training on maximal oxygen uptake and muscle oxidative enzymes in men. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 29(12): 1881-1891.

Status

Various new projects are planned. 

Funding

Team Denmark

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

Antidoping Denmark

Ministry of Culture

Project period: 2020 - 2029.

Contact

Ph.D. student Lucas Moesgaard

10-20-30 training is a form of high-intensity interval training including repeated 10-s all-out efforts which leads to a reduced training time. The 10-20-30 training is completed following a simple principle where participants changed pace every 30, 20 and 10 s for a total duration of 10-25 min.

The aims of the 10-20-30 projects were to investigate the effect of a period of intensified training and reduced training volume on performance, muscle, health and well-being, identifying potential mechanisms underlying change in performance.

In addition to shed light on the extent to which this type of training can motivate people to start, and continue to exercise. Various groups including patients, trained and well-trained using the 10-20-30 training concept have been examined, and the studies have shown improved performance and health profile.

Selected publications

Bangsbo J. (2024). 10-20-30 exercise training improves fitness and health. Eur J Sport Sci. 24(8):1162-1175. doi: 10.1002/ejsc.12163.

Skovgaard C, Christiansen D, Martínez-Rodríguez A, Bangsbo J. (2023). Similar improvements in 5-km performance and maximal oxygen uptake with submaximal and maximal 10-20-30 training in runners, but increase in muscle oxidative phosphorylation occur only with maximal effort training. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 34(1):e14493.

Baasch-Skytte T, Lemgart CT, Oehlenschläger MH, Petersen PE, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J, Gunnarsson TP. (2020). Efficacy of 10-20-30 training versus moderate-intensity continuous training on HbA1c, body composition and maximum oxygen uptake in male patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 22(5): 767-778.

Hostrup M, Gunnarsson TP, Fiorenza M, Mørch K, Onslev J, Pedersen KM, Bangsbo J. (2019). In-season adaptations to intense intermittent training and sprint interval training in sub-elite football players. Scand J Med Sci Sports. .

Gliemann L, Gunnarsson TP, Hellsten Y, Bangsbo J. (2015). 10-20-30 training increases performance and lowers blood pressure and VEGF in runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports 25(5):e479-89.

Gunnarsson TP, Bangsbo J. (2012). The 10-20-30 training concept improves performance and health profile in moderately trained runners. J Appl Physiol (1985) 113(1):16-24.

Status

Various new projects are planned. 

Funding

Nordea Foundation.

Project period: 2011 - 2029.

Contact

Professor Jens Bangsbo

Project has ended. Period: 2020 - 2023.

The study investigated the effects of implementing low- and high-volume speed endurance training on exercise performance and skeletal muscle metabolism in highly trained endurance cyclists.

Publications

Jeppesen JS, Wickham KA, Zeuthen M, Thomassen M, Jessen S, Hellsten Y, Hostrup M, Bangsbo J. Low-Volume Speed Endurance Training with Reduced Volume Improves Short-Term Exercise Performance in Highly Trained Cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024 Sep 1;56(9):1709-1721. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003453. Epub 2024 Apr 23. PMID: 38650113.

One more publication is expected from this work.

Funded by

Team Danmark

Contact

Postdoc Jan Sommer Jeppesen

Professor Jens Bangsbo