The effects of high-intensity resistance exercise on the blood lipid profile and liver function in hypercholesterolemic hamsters

• Published in: Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism nutrition, and metabolism, 2012-06, Vol.37 (3), p.448-454
• Main Authors: Frajacomo, Fernando Tadeu Trevisan, Demarzo, Marcelo Marcos Piva, Fernandes, Cleverson Rodrigues, Martinello, Flávia, Bachur, José Alexandre, Uyemura, Sérgio Akira, Perez, Sérgio Eduardo de Andrade, Garcia, Sérgio Britto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Blood; Blood Glucose; Blood lipids; cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; cholestérol; Cricetinae; Diet; Diet - methods; Diseases; Enzymes; exercice contre résistance; Exercise; exercise intensity; Exercise physiology; fonction hépatique; hamsters hypercholestérolémiques; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; hypercholesterolemic hamsters; intensité d’exercice; Isometric exercise; lipid profile; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Lipoproteins; Lipoproteins, HDL - blood; Lipoproteins, LDL; Liver; Liver - metabolism; liver function; Liver Function Tests - methods; Liver Function Tests - statistics & numerical data; Male; Physical Conditioning, Animal - methods; Physical Exertion; Physiological aspects; Physiology; profil lipidique; Resistance exercise; Risk Factors; Rodents; Statistics, Nonparametric; Studies
• ISSN: 1715-5312; 1715-5320
• DOI: 10.1139/h2012-008

It is well established that atherogenic dyslipidemia, characterized by high levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, constitutes important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Regular exercise has been associated with a reduced risk for metabolic diseases. However, studies supporting the concept that resistance exercise is a modifier of blood lipid parameters are often contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity resistance exercise on the serum levels of TG, TC, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol, glucose, and the liver function enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT, EC 2.6.1.2) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST, EC 2.6.1.1) in golden Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus (Waterhouse, 1839)) fed a hypercholesterolemic diet. Sedentary groups (S) and exercise groups (E) were fed a standard diet (SS and ES) or a cholesterol-enriched diet (standard plus 1% cholesterol, SC and EC). Resistance exercise was performed by jumps in the water, carrying a load strapped to the chest, representing 10 maximum repetitions (10 RM, 30 s rest, five days per week for five weeks). Mean blood sample comparisons were made by ANOVA + Tukey or ANOVA + Kruskal–Wallis tests (p < 0.05) to compare parametric and nonparametric samples, respectively. There were no differences in blood lipids between the standard diet groups (SS and ES) (p > 0.05). However, the EC group increased the glucose, non-HDL, and TC levels in comparison with the ES group. Moreover, the EC group increased the TG levels versus the SC group (p < 0.05). In addition, the ALT levels were increased only by diet treatment. These findings indicated that high-intensity resistance exercise contributed to dyslipidemia in hamsters fed a hypercholesterolemic diet, whereas liver function enzymes did not differ in regards to the exercise protocol.