EFFECT OF ACUTE EXERCISE ON PLASMA HOMOCYSTEINE

Background. The aim this work was to study the effects of acute exerci se on plasma homocysteine level. Methods. Twenty healthy, physically a ctive males aged 24-39 ((X) over bar=29) ran on treadmill at an intens ity of 70% of their maximal heart for 30 minutes. Blood was taken befo re, immediately following and 30 minutes following the exercise bout. Results. There was no statistically significant relationship between p re-exercise plasma homocysteine levels and (V) over dotO(2)max (r= -0. 05). Plasma homocysteine significantly increased 11.5% from the pre-ex ercise to 11.6+/-3.3 mu mol.L-1 immediate post exercise levels. Thirty minutes postexercise plasma homocysteine was still elevated from pre- exercise levels, however the mean of 11.2+/-2.9 mu mol.L-1 was not sta tistically different from pre-exercise values. The increase in homocys teine that occurred with 30 minutes of exercise is thought to be the r esult of hemoconcentration as indicated by changes in plasma albumin. Plasma albumin likewise paralleled the changes observed for homocystei ne. Mean pre-exercise plasma albumin values were 42.9+/-2.9 g.L-1. Pla sma albumin significantly increased 6.9% to 45.8+/-2.4 g.L-1 immediate ly post-exercise. Thirty minutes post exercise plasma albumin was stil l elevated from pre-exercise levels at 43.8+/-5.4 g.L-1. When the homo cysteine plasma levels were adjusted for changes in plasma albumin, th ere was no statistical difference between any of the time points. Conc lusions. It was concluded that acute exercise does not have any effect on plasma homocysteine in young healthy men aged 24-39.