Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 58, Issue 2 612-618, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Effects of exercise training on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in rats
A. E. Pels 3rd, T. P. White and W. D. Block
We studied the effects of exercise training on plasma lipid and lipoprotein
concentrations of rats on a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet. Twelve
weeks of training occurred at moderate [Mod-Exer, 70% peak O2 consumption
(VO2)] and high (High-Exer, 82% peak VO2) intensities. The duration of
daily training sessions was adjusted to maintain equivalent energy
expenditure between groups. Following training, body weight and lean body
mass were 10% lower in the High-Exer group than the Mod-Exer or control
groups. Compared with control values, carcass fat content was 33% lower for
both trained groups. The oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle was
approximately 30% greater in the trained groups compared with the control
group. Total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total
triglyceride concentrations in plasma were not different between the
trained groups, but were 33-47% lower compared with the control group. The
exercise-induced changes in plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations may
be a result of a change in preferred substrate utilization in skeletal
muscle toward a greater oxidation of lipid.
