Effects of marathon running, jogging, and diet on coronary risk factors in middle-aged men

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.

The effect of exercise on normal mood

Research has shown that aerobic exercise is effective in alleviating depression. However, the contention that aerobic exercise similarly has an enduring beneficial psychological effect on the mood of normal, non-depressed individuals has not been verified. Research examining the effects of exercise on normal mood has yielded inconsistent findings, due in part to methodological shortcomings. The present study attempted to rectify these methodological difficulties and evaluated the effect of 13 weeks of aerobic exercise on the mood of normal, non-depressed men and women. Groups intended to be non-aerobic and waiting list controls were included in the design, as were a stratified random sampling procedure, measurement of physical fitness, and a seven-day pre/post-program assessment period for both positive and negative mood. Results indicated that, although subjects demonstrated significant improvement in physical fitness, there were no significant changes in either positive or negative mood. Thus, in contrast to effects with clinical depressives, exercise does not appear to have any long-term beneficial effect on the mood of non-depressed individuals selected from a normal, i.e. non-clinical, population.

Vigorous physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in young adults

There are conflicting data regarding the effects of vigorous physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Representative samples of adults aged 20-35 from four northern California cities were studied both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in order to examine the relationships between vigorous PA and selected physiological risk factors. A self-report measure of habitual vigorous PA was validated by pulse rate. There were relationships, in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses between self-reported vigorous PA and HDL/LDL ratio, especially for women. Relationships in cross-sectional analyses only were found between PA and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and alveolar carbon monoxide. The results of the present study generally tend to confirm investigations of other samples.

Exercise testing and training: clinical applications

The application of exercise in clinical cardiology continues to progress because of research findings. Advances have occurred in the applications, methodology and interpretation of exercise testing. Exercise training has been documented to have a place in the primary prevention of coronary heart disease. In regard to cardiac rehabilitation, both early ambulation and early discharge are safe and beneficial in patients with uncomplicated infarction, and a subsequent exercise program is at least as effective as other interventions. High intensity exercise training in the patient with heart disease may be necessary to cause changes in myocardial perfusion and performance, but it carries an increased risk.