Lipoproteins Status in Professional Football Players After Period of Vacation and One Month After a New Intensive Training Program

Summary

Plasmatic lipoproteins were evaluated in a group of 11 professional football-players after a 3-week rest, and one month later, after an intensive training (characterized by a succession of aerobic and anaerobic efforts), for engaging a new competition. At day 0, total cholesterol (TC = 4.4 ± .04 mmol/l), triglycerides (TG = .6 ± .04 mmol/l), and LDL-TC (2.54 ± .18 mmol/l) were significantly decreased versus sex and age matched sedentary subjects (TC = 5.13 ± .2 mmol/l, P < .02; TG = .99 ±. mmol/l, P < .01; LDL-CT = 3.26 ± .2 mmol/l, P < .02). HDL-TC was increased (1.50 ± .06 vs 1.30 ± .05 mmol/l, P < .05). The apoprotein A1 (apoA1) was higher in football-players (1.5 ± .06 vs 1.16 g/l, P < .001), while the apoprotein B (apoB) was lower (.6 ± .03 vs .88 ± .04 g/l, P < .001). Even after 3 weeks of rest, the football-players lipoproteins were still identical to aerobic elite-athletes.

At day +30, after a daily training involving 2 anaerobic sequences, the maximal aerobic capacity was increased by 21%, without any change in nutritional, plasmatic and hepatic status. Weight was diminished (-0.8 kg, P < 0.05). TC (4.14 ± .2 mmol/l), TG < .64 ± .08 mmol/l), LDL-TC (3.37 ± .17 mmol/l), apo B (.64 ± .05 g/l) were unchanged. HDL-CT fell to controls values while apoA1 increased (1.66 ± .06 mmol/l, P < .001). Thus, HDL-CT/apoA1 ratio (indicating the TC content of HDL) was decreased, whereas apoB/apoA1 ratio was unchanged. The decrease of TC content of HDL was not related to dietary change nor to weight decrease. As TG were stable, the lipoprotein lipase activity could not be modified. The increase of hepatic TG lipase activity or the decrease of TC transferred to HDL associated to a longer apo A1-half-life is discussed. Atherogenic risk was not modified in spite of HDL-CT decrease.

Key-Words

Exercise - Football - Lipoprotein - High Density Lipoprotein - Cholesterol - Apoproteins