Effect of 10 weeks endurance training on the concentration of lipids and lipoproteins as well as on the composition of high-density lipoproteins in blood serum.

The effect of 10 weeks endurance training on the concentration of serum lipids and lipoproteins, particularly on the composition of high-density lipoproteins, was measured in nine 22--28-year-old male volunteers at weekly intervals during training as well as 5 and 10 weeks following the exercise program. A control group consisted of six male subjects between the ages of 22 and 37 years. The endurance program consisted of running for approximately 30 min three times a week covering about 5--7 km per session. Two participants discontinued the program after 6 weeks while the remaining seven completed the training in the course of 10 weeks. After the end of the exercise program, all subjects showed a 20%--25% decrease in free cholesterol as well as a 40% decrease in triglycerides while esterified cholesterol remained unchanged. Only in subjects with HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratios of less than 0.3 at the start of the exercise program was a statistically significant increase in HDL cholesterol values (P less than 0.05) following training observed. In all subjects HDL phosphatidyl choline values were elevated by a mean of 20% at the end. With the exception of two participants, the HDL triglyceride concentration was diminished after the exercise program. The concentrations of HDL apolipoprotein A-I and A-II were unaffected by exercise. In the control group, no statistically significant changes of the measured parameters could be observed. Our results suggest that short-term physical training produces changes in cholesterol ersterification and/or cholesterol-ester transport as well as in HDL composition.