Efeitos do exercício contínuo moderado (5 ou 2 dias consecutivos por semana) sobre variáveis do metabolismo lipídico e área de adipócitos em ratos adultos normo e hipercolesterolêmicos.

Abstract

Exercise has been prescribed in the treatment and control of dyslipidemias and cholesterolemia; however, lipid responses to different training frequencies in hypercholesterolemic adult males have been inconsistent. METHODS: We sought to verify if different frequencies of continuous moderate exercise (5 or 2 consecutive days/week, 90 min., swimming) can, after 8 weeks, promote similar adaptations in adipocyte area (retroperitoneal and epididymal adipose tissues) and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol), as well as metabolic lipid pathways in normo and hypercholesterolemic adult male rats. Normal chow or hypercholesterolemic diet (1% cholesterol plus 0.25% cholic acid) were freely given during 8 weeks to the rats, which were divided in sedentary or exercised in either 5 or 2 consecutive days/week groups. RESULTS: Exercise frequencies of both 5 and 2 consecutive days/week promoted, mainly in hypercholesterolemic diet rats, important benefits such as: reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides, increased HDL-c fraction, decreased body weight gain, reduced retroperitoneal and epididymal lipogenesis and relative weights, reductions in adipocyte areas as well as relative increase in lipolysis and relative decrease in leptin concentrations. However, the effects of 5days/week exercise were more pronounced compared with those of 2 consecutive days/week training which, however, also proved effective as well in the hypercholesterolemic situations, confirming the importance of these exercise protocols in controlling dyslipidemias and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that moderate continuous exercise, 5 or 2 consecutive days/week, can result in similar positive adaptations in adipocyte areas, lipid parameters and metabolic lipid pathways in hypercholesterolemic adult male rats.