Dependence of serum lipid and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase levels on physical training in young men.

Thirty-five previously sedentary military conscripts, aged 19--20 years, were tested 1 week after entering the service and again 2 months later. In addition, 26 active sportsmen were studied. Physical working capacity (VO2 max), as judged by an ergometer stress test, improved significantly by about 31% during this period in the military conscripts. At the same time there was a significant increase in serum HDL cholesterol concentration and the HDL/total cholesterol ratio as total cholesterol did not change. An increase was found in serum triglyceride concentration. Serum lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity increased due to the training period (p less than 0.01) and was related to changes in serum HDL cholesterol concentration. In the active sportsmen serum LCAT activity was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in conscripts before the training program, and the changes of LCAT activity correlated positively with changes in HDL cholesterol. The data suggest that the changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins during the physical activity are possibly mediated in part by serum LCAT activity.