Effects of physical activity on lipids and coagulation

: In order to evaluate the effects of physical activity on seric lipoproteins and coagulation parameters, an 8-week clinical trial was performed. Fifteen healthy young subjects (average age 23 years) with no history of previous agonistic physical activity, entered the study. Each subject underwent a physical programme consisting of three times a week bicycle ergometer exercise with progressive increases in work rate by using stages of 3 min duration until the 85% of the predictive heart rate was reached. Each individual was subjected to four blood drawings according to the following schedule: at the beginning of the study, after 4 weeks, after 8 weeks (at the end of the programme) and 4 weeks after the interruption of training. As far as the seric lipoproteins are concerned, the following parameters were monitored: total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, triglycerides, Apo-A1, Apo-B100, NEFA and phospholipids. On the other hand the following coagulation parameters were monitored: fibrinogen PT, aPtt, coagulation factors (II-XII), red cells, leucocytes, platelets, hemoglobin and hematocrit. From the analysis of the data, the following statistically significant results were observed: HDL-C increased by 14%, LDL-C decreased by 13%, Apo-A1 increased by 6%, fibrinogen increased by 31.7%, Ptt decreased by 3.7% and leucocytes increased by 15%. Four weeks after exercise was terminated, all monitored parameters turned into the basal range. Our data seem to demonstrate a positive effect of physical exercise on seric lipoproteins in the short period. Nevertheless they provide evidence of an hypercoagulability condition demonstrated by the important fibrinogen increase and the Ptt decrease.