Objectives. The main purpose of this study was to assess the effect of progressive resistance training on the blood lipid profile in postmenopausal women. Methods. Twenty-six female participants aged 50 - 75 years were selected from the population of Grahamstown, South Africa. All participants were previously sedentary and possessed at least one lipid profile abnormality but were otherwise healthy. Pretests included a sub-maximal stress test, stature, mass, central and limb girths as well as an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a total blood lipid profile. Participants took part in a 24-week progressive resistance training programme, consisting of three supervised sessions per week, each lasting 45 minutes. Participants were not permitted to lose more than 10% of initial body mass during the 24-week study. All pre-test measures, excluding the stress test and the OGTT, were repeated every 4 weeks for the duration of the study. Results. Body mass, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio did not change. Girth measures at mid-humerus, chest, waist, hip, mid-quadricep and mid-gastrocnemius all decreased significantly (p<0.05). LDL-cholesterol increased significantly over the course of 24 weeks (3.61 mmol.l-1 to 4.07 mmol.l-1), as did total cholesterol (5.81 mmol.l-1- 6.24 mmol.l-1). Triglyceride concentration remained unchanged and HDL-cholesterol decreased significantly between the pre-test measure (1.55 mmol.l-1) and the measure after 6 months (1.42 mmol.l-1). Conclusion. The blood lipid profile in a sample of postmenopausal women was not positively affected by a progressive resistance training programme over a 24-week period.
Effects of resistance training and detraining on muscle strength and blood lipid profiles in postmenopausal women
