1. Effect of exercise and menstrual cycle status on plasma lipids, low density lipoprotein particle size, and apolipoproteins.
- Author
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Lamon-Fava S, Fisher EC, Nelson ME, Evans WJ, Millar JS, Ordovas JM, and Schaefer EJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Amenorrhea blood, Apolipoprotein A-I, Apolipoproteins A blood, Apolipoproteins B blood, Energy Intake, Estradiol blood, Female, Humans, Particle Size, Thyroid Hormones blood, Apolipoproteins blood, Exercise, Lipids blood, Lipoproteins, LDL blood, Menstrual Cycle
- Abstract
Habitual physical exercise has been reported to have beneficial effects on plasma lipoproteins. To examine this question in women, plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and B levels, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size were determined in 25 women runners (9 of whom had exercise-related secondary amenorrhea) and 36 age-matched nonexercising women (controls). The eumenorrheic runners had significantly lower apo B levels and significantly greater mean apo A-I/apo B ratios and LDL particle sizes than did the control women (P less than 0.05). Lower apo B levels were correlated with decreased body mass index, a known exercise effect (P less than 0.0001). In addition, normally menstruating runners had cholesterol and triglyceride levels that were 7.6% and 25.4% lower, respectively, and apo A-I levels that were 6.4% higher than control women (P = NS). In amenorrheic runners all parameters were similar to values in control women, except that apo B levels were 20% lower (P less than 0.05). Amenorrheic runners had lower plasma apo A-I levels (13%) and significantly lower apo A-I/apo B ratios and estradiol levels than eumenorrheic runners, and serum estradiol values in the runners were correlated with apo A-I levels (P less than 0.01). These data indicate that the beneficial effects of strenuous exercise on plasma apo A-I levels and apo A-I/apo B ratios in women runners can be reversed by exercise-induced amenorrhea and decreased serum estradiol levels, and that women runners have lower apo B levels than nonexercising women, regardless of menstrual status.
- Published
- 1989
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