A comparison between running and weight lifting on fasting plasma lipids of a well-conditioned hypercholesterolemic male.

The effect of weight lifting and running on the plasma lipid profiles of a physically fit 32-year-old hypercholesterolemic male were determined while he adhered to a controlled Phase III American Heart Association diet. The subject followed the same daily menu pattern for the entire test period. He completed four treatment phases: 6 weeks of detraining, 10 weeks of weight lifting, 10 weeks of running, and 10 weeks of weight lifting. The study was designed to closely compare two modes of exercise training for the same duration. A complete lipid profile was analyzed at baseline and every 5 weeks thereafter. Body weight and body fat remained constant throughout the study. Results revealed that running was the only effective treatment in raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). A return to weight lifting was associated with a 4 mg % decrease in HDL-C. The controlled low-fat, high carbohydrate, and low cholesterol diet effectively reduced total cholesterol, low-density, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in this hypercholesterolemic subject, while running increased HDL-C.