Effect of acute vigorous exercise on lipoprotein lipase activity of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in physically active men.

Ten well-trained men ran a distance of 20 km in the morning after overnight fasting. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was determined from heparin eluates of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle before and after the exercise. The mean LPL activity rose 2.1-fold in skeletal muscle (p < 0.01) and by 20 % in adipose tissue (p < 0.05) during the running. No significant change occurred in serum lipid or lipoprotein concentrations. The plasma insulin decreased and plasma glucagon increased during the exercise. The muscle LPL increment was significantly related to the fall of insulin/glucagon ratio. The results show that during exercise the skeletal muscle is adapted for increased uptake of circulating triglycerides which are either utilized immediately or used for restoration of muscle lipid stores after the end of exercise.