Acute Effects of Prolonged, Heavy Exercise on the Concentration of Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins in Man

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Abstract
The concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids in plasma and in ultracentrifugally separated plasma lipoproteins was studied in normal persons during participation in 1962 and 1963 in a yearly skiracing. The skiing time was around 8–9 hours. In the group studied in 1962 as well as in the 1963 group there was a significant fall in the concentration of triglycerides and phospholipids in plasma. When the 1962 group was studied during ordinary activities with identical caloric intake and at identical times as during the skiing no significant changes were found in the plasma lipids. The most pronounced decreases of the plasma lipids was in the triglyceride fraction and this decrease was directly and highly significantly correlated to the fasting triglyceride concentration. About three quarters of the decrease in triglyceride concentration was due to a decrease in the amount of triglycerides in the very low density lipoproteins. The triglyceride concentration in the low and the high density lipoprotein classes also decreased. The decrease of triglycerides was directly correlated to the fasting level in each lipoprotein class. No significant changes were observed in the cholesterol content of any of the lipoproteins. The phospholipid concentration, however, decreased in all three lipoprotein classes. The most pronounced decrease of phospholipids was found in the high density lipoproteins. Mechanism(s) for these changes in the concentration of the plasma lipids and lipoproteins during prolonged, heavy exercise were discussed.