Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Sports Medicine logoLink to British Journal of Sports Medicine
. 1999 Jun;33(3):190–195. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.33.3.190

Effect of 14 weeks of resistance training on lipid profile and body fat percentage in premenopausal women

B Prabhakaran, E A Dowling, J D Branch, D P Swain, B C Leutholtz
PMCID: PMC1756170  PMID: 10378072

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of a supervised, intensive (85% of one repetition maximum (1-RM)) 14 week resistance training programme on lipid profile and body fat percentage in healthy, sedentary, premenopausal women. SUBJECTS: Twenty four women (mean (SD) age 27 (7) years) took part in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a non-exercising control group or a resistance exercise training group. The resistance exercise training group took part in supervised 45-50 minute resistance training sessions (85% of 1-RM), three days a week on non-consecutive days for 14 weeks. The control group did not take part in any structured physical activity. RESULTS: Two way analysis of variance with repeated measures showed significant (p < 0.05) increases in strength (1-RM) in the exercising group. There were significant (p < 0.05) decreases in total cholesterol (mean (SE) 4.68 (0.31) v 4.26 (0.23) mmol/1 (180 (12) v 164 (9) mg/dl)), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (2.99 (0.29) v 2.57 (0.21) mmol/l (115 (11) v 99 (8) mg/dl), the total to high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio (4.2 (0.42) v 3.6 (0.42)), and body fat percentage (27.9 (2.09) v 26.5 (2.15)), as well as a strong trend towards a significant decrease in the LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio (p = 0.057) in the resistance exercise training group compared with their baseline values. No differences were seen in triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. No changes were found in any of the measured variables in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that resistance training has a favourable effect on lipid profile and body fat percentage in healthy, sedentary, premenopausal women. 




Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (132.1 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adner M. M., Castelli W. P. Elevated high-density lipoprotein levels in marathon runners. JAMA. 1980 Feb 8;243(6):534–536. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Angelopoulos T. J., Robertson R. J., Goss F. L., Metz K. F., LaPorte R. E. Effect of repeated exercise bouts on high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and its subfractions HDL2-C and HDL3-C. Int J Sports Med. 1993 May;14(4):196–201. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1021163. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berger G. M., Griffiths M. P. Acute effects of moderate exercise on plasma lipoprotein parameters. Int J Sports Med. 1987 Oct;8(5):336–341. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1025680. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Blumenthal J. A., Matthews K., Fredrikson M., Rifai N., Schniebolk S., German D., Steege J., Rodin J. Effects of exercise training on cardiovascular function and plasma lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein concentrations in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991 Jul-Aug;11(4):912–917. doi: 10.1161/01.atv.11.4.912. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Boyden T. W., Pamenter R. W., Going S. B., Lohman T. G., Hall M. C., Houtkooper L. B., Bunt J. C., Ritenbaugh C., Aickin M. Resistance exercise training is associated with decreases in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in premenopausal women. Arch Intern Med. 1993 Jan 11;153(1):97–100. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Castelli W. P. Epidemiology of coronary heart disease: the Framingham study. Am J Med. 1984 Feb 27;76(2A):4–12. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(84)90952-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Chilibeck P. D., Calder A. W., Sale D. G., Webber C. E. A comparison of strength and muscle mass increases during resistance training in young women. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1998;77(1-2):170–175. doi: 10.1007/s004210050316. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Chilibeck P. D., Calder A., Sale D. G., Webber C. E. Twenty weeks of weight training increases lean tissue mass but not bone mineral mass or density in healthy, active young women. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1996 Oct;74(10):1180–1185. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Cullinane E. M., Yurgalevitch S. M., Saritelli A. L., Herbert P. N., Thompson P. D. Variations in plasma volume affect total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations during the menstrual cycle. Metabolism. 1995 Aug;44(8):965–971. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(95)90090-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Cullinen K., Caldwell M. Weight training increases fat-free mass and strength in untrained young women. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998 Apr;98(4):414–418. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(98)00094-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Després J. P., Tremblay A., Moorjani S., Lupien P. J., Thériault G., Nadeau A., Bouchard C. Long-term exercise training with constant energy intake. 3: Effects on plasma lipoprotein levels. Int J Obes. 1990 Jan;14(1):85–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Duncan J. J., Gordon N. F., Scott C. B. Women walking for health and fitness. How much is enough? JAMA. 1991 Dec 18;266(23):3295–3299. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Frick M. H., Elo O., Haapa K., Heinonen O. P., Heinsalmi P., Helo P., Huttunen J. K., Kaitaniemi P., Koskinen P., Manninen V. Helsinki Heart Study: primary-prevention trial with gemfibrozil in middle-aged men with dyslipidemia. Safety of treatment, changes in risk factors, and incidence of coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 1987 Nov 12;317(20):1237–1245. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198711123172001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Friedewald W. T., Levy R. I., Fredrickson D. S. Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem. 1972 Jun;18(6):499–502. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Fulwood R., Kalsbeek W., Rifkind B., Russell-Briefel R., Muesing R., LaRosa J., Lippel K. Total serum cholesterol levels of adults 20-74 years of age. Vital Health Stat 11. 1986 May;(236):1–59. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Goldberg L., Elliot D. L., Schutz R. W., Kloster F. E. Changes in lipid and lipoprotein levels after weight training. JAMA. 1984 Jul 27;252(4):504–506. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Gordon P. M., Goss F. L., Visich P. S., Warty V., Denys B. J., Metz K. F., Robertson R. J. The acute effects of exercise intensity on HDL-C metabolism. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994 Jun;26(6):671–677. doi: 10.1249/00005768-199406000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Hurley B. F., Hagberg J. M., Goldberg A. P., Seals D. R., Ehsani A. A., Brennan R. E., Holloszy J. O. Resistive training can reduce coronary risk factors without altering VO2max or percent body fat. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988 Apr;20(2):150–154. doi: 10.1249/00005768-198820020-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Jackson A. S., Pollock M. L., Ward A. Generalized equations for predicting body density of women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1980;12(3):175–181. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kantor M. A., Cullinane E. M., Sady S. P., Herbert P. N., Thompson P. D. Exercise acutely increases high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lipoprotein lipase activity in trained and untrained men. Metabolism. 1987 Feb;36(2):188–192. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(87)90016-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kokkinos P. F., Hurley B. F., Vaccaro P., Patterson J. C., Gardner L. B., Ostrove S. M., Goldberg A. P. Effects of low- and high-repetition resistive training on lipoprotein-lipid profiles. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988 Feb;20(1):50–54. doi: 10.1249/00005768-198802000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Krauss R. M., Lindgren F. T., Wingerd J., Bradley D. D., Ramcharan S. Effects of estrogens and progestins on high density lipoproteins. Lipids. 1979 Jan;14(1):113–118. doi: 10.1007/BF02533579. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Lamarche B., Després J. P., Pouliot M. C., Moorjani S., Lupien P. J., Thériault G., Tremblay A., Nadeau A., Bouchard C. Is body fat loss a determinant factor in the improvement of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism following aerobic exercise training in obese women? Metabolism. 1992 Nov;41(11):1249–1256. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(92)90017-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lussier-Cacan S., Xhignesse M., Desmarais J. L., Davignon J., Kafrissen M. E., Chapdelaine A. Cyclic fluctuations in human serum lipid and apolipoprotein levels during the normal menstrual cycle: comparison with changes occurring during oral contraceptive therapy. Metabolism. 1991 Aug;40(8):849–854. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(91)90014-n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Manning J. M., Dooly-Manning C. R., White K., Kampa I., Silas S., Kesselhaut M., Ruoff M. Effects of a resistive training program on lipoprotein--lipid levels in obese women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991 Nov;23(11):1222–1226. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Muesing R. A., Forman M. R., Graubard B. I., Beecher G. R., Lanza E., McAdam P. A., Campbell W. S., Olson B. R. Cyclic changes in lipoprotein and apolipoprotein levels during the menstrual cycle in healthy premenopausal women on a controlled diet. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996 Oct;81(10):3599–3603. doi: 10.1210/jcem.81.10.8855808. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Nakao M., Inoue Y., Murakami H. Longitudinal study of the effect of high intensity weight training on aerobic capacity. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1995;70(1):20–25. doi: 10.1007/BF00601804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Pronk N. P., Crouse S. F., O'Brien B. C., Rohack J. J. Acute effects of walking on serum lipids and lipoproteins in women. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1995 Mar;35(1):50–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Santiago M. C., Leon A. S., Serfass R. C. Failure of 40 weeks of brisk walking to alter blood lipids in normolipemic women. Can J Appl Physiol. 1995 Dec;20(4):417–428. doi: 10.1139/h95-033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Schijf C. P., van der Mooren M. J., Doesburg W. H., Thomas C. M., Rolland R. Differences in serum lipids, lipoproteins, sex hormone binding globulin and testosterone between the follicular and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 1993 Aug;129(2):130–133. doi: 10.1530/acta.0.1290130. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Smutok M. A., Reece C., Kokkinos P. F., Farmer C., Dawson P., Shulman R., DeVane-Bell J., Patterson J., Charabogos C., Goldberg A. P. Aerobic versus strength training for risk factor intervention in middle-aged men at high risk for coronary heart disease. Metabolism. 1993 Feb;42(2):177–184. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(93)90032-j. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Srinivasan S. R., Sundaram G. S., Williamson G. D., Webber L. S., Berenson G. S. Serum lipoproteins and endogenous sex hormones in early life: observations in children with different lipoprotein profiles. Metabolism. 1985 Sep;34(9):861–867. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(85)90111-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Tonolo G., Ciccarese M., Brizzi P., Milia S., Dessole S., Puddu L., Secchi G., Maioli M. Cyclical variation of plasma lipids, apolipoproteins, and lipoprotein(a) during menstrual cycle of normal women. Am J Physiol. 1995 Dec;269(6 Pt 1):E1101–E1105. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.1995.269.6.E1101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Wahl P., Walden C., Knopp R., Hoover J., Wallace R., Heiss G., Rifkind B. Effect of estrogen/progestin potency on lipid/lipoprotein cholesterol. N Engl J Med. 1983 Apr 14;308(15):862–867. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198304143081502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Wallace M. B., Moffatt R. J., Haymes E. M., Green N. R. Acute effects of resistance exercise on parameters of lipoprotein metabolism. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991 Feb;23(2):199–204. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Sports Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES