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 O2 uptake, respectively, randomly assigned) to test the influence of training intensity on blood lipid and apolipoprotein (apo) concentrations. All physiological, lipid, and apo 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 and increase in maximal O2 uptake. No interactions between intensity and weeks of training were noted for any lipid or apo variable, and no between-group differences were significant before or throughout training. Therefore, intensity did not affect the training response. Regardless of intensity, apo AI and apo B fell 9 and 13%, respectively, by week 16 and remained lower through week 24 (P < 0.0003). Total cholesterol fell transiently (-5.5%) by week 16 (P < 0.0021) but returned to initial levels by week 24. Triglyceride, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol did not change with training. In contrast, HDL2 cholesterol rose 79% above initial levels by week 8 and 82% above initial levels by week 24 (P < 0.0018); HDL3 cholesterol fell 8 and 13% over the same training intervals (P < 0.0026). These data show that changes in blood lipid and apo concentrations that accompany training in hypercholesterolemic men are not influenced by exercise intensity when caloric expenditure is held constant.