Exercise acutely increases high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lipoprotein lipase activity in trained and untrained men.

We studied the effects of a single exercise session on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and on postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPLA) and hepatic triglyceride hydrolase activities (HTGLA) in 11 trained (T) and ten untrained (UT) men. Subjects exercised on a bicycle ergometer at 80% of their maximal heart rate for one (UT) or two hours (T). Blood samples were drawn 24 hours before and at ten minutes and 24, 48, and 72 hours after exercise. Values were analyzed before and after adjustment for estimated changes in plasma volume (PV). High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased 2 +/- 4 mg/dL in T (P less than 0.05) and 1 +/- 2 mg/dL in UT subjects beginning 48 hours after exercise. This increase was magnified by adjusting for the 5% to 8% postexercise expansion of PV. The increase in HDL in the T subjects was produced by increases in the HDL2-C subfraction (+3 +/- 4 mg/dL, P less than 0.05) whereas HDL3 increased in the UT men (+2 +/- 3 mg/dL, P less than 0.05). LPLA did not change in either subject group when estimated PV changes were ignored but increased 11% (P less than 0.05) at 24 hours after exercise when PV was considered. HTGLA was 11% below baseline in the UT men 24 to 72 hours after exercise (P less than 0.05) but showed no change in either subject group after adjustment for PV. These results demonstrate that exercise acutely increases HDL levels by raising the HDL2 subfraction in T and the HDL3 subfraction in UT men.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)