TRAINING INTENSITY, BLOOD-LIPIDS, AND APOLIPOPROTEINS IN MEN WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Twenty-six hypercholesterolemic men (mean cholesterol, 258 mg/dl; age, 47 yr; weight, 81.9 kg) completed 24 wk of cycle ergometer training ( 3 days/wk, 350 Kcal/session) at either high (n = 12) or moderate (n = 14) intensity (80 and 50% maximal O-2 uptake, respectively, randomly a ssigned) to test the influence of training intensity on blood lipid an d apolipoprotein (apo) concentrations. All physiological, lipid, and a po measurements were completed at 0, 8, 16, and 24 wk. Lipid data were analyzed via two X four repeated-measures analysis of variance (alpha = 0.0031). Training produced a significant decrease in body weight an d increase in maximal O-2 uptake. No interactions between intensity an d weeks of training were noted for any lipid or apo variable, and no b etween-group differences were significant before or throughout trainin g. Therefore, intensity did not affect the training response. Regardle ss of intensity, apo AI and apo B fell 9 and 13%, respectively, by wee k 16 and remained lower through week 24 (P < 0.0003). Total cholestero l fell transiently (-5.5%) by week 16 (P < 0.0021) but returned to ini tial levels by week 24. Triglyceride, low-density-lipoprotein choleste rol, and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol did not change wit h training. In contrast, HDL(2) cholesterol rose 79% above initial lev els by week 8 and 82% above initial levels by week 24 (P < 0.0018); HD L(3) cholesterol fell 8 and 13% over the same training intervals (P < 0.0026). These data show that changes in blood lipid and apo concentra tions that accompany training in hypercholesterolemic men are not infl uenced by exercise intensity when caloric expenditure is held constant .