Effects of cold water swimming on blood rheological properties and composition of fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes of untrained older rats

TELEG£OW A., D¥BROWSKI Z., MARCHEWKA A., TABAROWSKI Z., BILSKI J., JAŒKIEWICZ J., GDULA-ARGASINSKA J., G£ODZIK J. LIZAKD., KEPINSKAM. 2011. Effects of cold water swimming on blood rheological properties and composition of fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes of untrained older rats. Folia biologica (Krakow) 59: 203-209. This is the first report on the effects of a single bout of swimming to exhaustion in cold water on rat erythrocyte deformability, aggregation and fatty acid composition in erythrocyte membranes. The results indicate that there was a significant decrease in body temperature of experimental rats swimming in water at 4°C and 25°C when compared to the control. Erythrocyte aggregation indices did not change after swimming in water at 4°C whereas erythrocyte deformability increased at shear stress 1,13 [Pa] and 15,96 [Pa]. Physical effort performed in water at 4°C when compared to the control group resulted in an increase in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acid content in erythrocyte membranes that influenced the increase in their fluidity and permeability even though that of polyunsaturated n-6 fatty acids decreased.Physical effort performed in 25°C water resulted in an increase in saturated fatty acid content and a decrease in all polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated n-6 fatty acids when compared to the control group. Swimming of untrained old rats in cold water affected rheological properties of erythrocytes in a negligible waywhile changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes were more pronounced.