Elevation of tissue coenzyme Q (ubiquinone) and cytochrome c concentrations by endurance exercise in the rat.

Six months of enforced and voluntary endurance training of young female Wistar rats resulted in significant decreases of body weight and gastrocnemius muscle wet weight and protein content, and increases in heart weight and protein content, and liver protein content. The coenzyme Q and cytochrome c concentrations of cardiac, gastrocnemius, and deep red region of the vastus lateralis muscles were increased, while small or nonsignificant trends toward increases in cytochrome c and coenzyme Q were seen in kidney, brain, lung, liver, internal + external oblique muscles, and the superficial white region of the vastus lateralis muscle. These results are discussed with regard to several roles for coenzyme Q in cellular function.