Y. Koutedakis et al., SERUM ENZYME-ACTIVITIES IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PHYSICAL-FITNESS, Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 33(3), 1993, pp. 252-257
Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were assayed in 15 healt
hy but untrained subjects (US) and seven Olympic rowers (OR). Blood sa
mples were obtained at rest, and five and 60 minutes after an ergomete
r test, during which cardiorespiratory data were obtained. OR demonstr
ated higher resting CPK (p < 0.001) and AST (p < 0.05) levels than the
US. CPK and AST reached their highest levels five minutes after the e
nd of the ergometer test in both groups, whilst peak ALT was reached f
ive and 60 minutes post-test in the US and OR respectively. Fitness pa
rameters and serum enzyme levels were better correlated in the OR grou
p. it is concluded that: (1) exercise temporarily increases the activi
ties of serum AST, ALT, and CPK, (2) increased physical fitness has no
bearing on resting serum ALT enzyme levels, although this was not the
case with AST and CPK, and (3) exercise duration rather than fitness
levels seems to be related to serum CPK, AST, and ALT activities.