Article

Exercise is a cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention. Because
many individuals are not willing or not able to perform regular exercise, new
methods of exercise (like eccentric exercise) are necessary. Eccentric endurance
exercise is supposed to be less strenuous than concentric exercise but its
effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in relation to energy expenditure are
unclear. METHODS: We randomly allocated 45 healthy sedentary individuals to one
of two groups, each hiking upwards or downwards for 2 months, with a crossover
for a further 2 months; for the opposite way, a cable car was used. The
difference in altitude was 540 metres; the distance was covered between three and
five times a week. Energy expenditure was assessed for each hiking period.
RESULTS: Both eccentric and concentric endurance exercise improved glucose
tolerance vs. baseline (by 4.1%, p = 0.136; 6.2%, p = 0.023, respectively). Of
note, adjustment for energy expenditure per exercise unit (127 +/- 22 kcal/unit
with eccentric and 442 +/- 78 kcal/unit with concentric exercise) revealed a
significantly greater improvement of glucose tolerance per kilocalorie spent by
eccentric than by concentric exercise (4-times more economical; 0.1123 mg
h/dl/kcal vs. 0.0245 mg h/dl/kcal; p = 0.038). Also the decrease of low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol per kilocalorie spent was significantly stronger
with eccentric exercise (0.0982 mg/dl/kcal vs. 0.0346 mg/dl/kcal, p = 0.014).
Serum levels of C-reactive protein and creatine kinase activity were reduced in
both groups. CONCLUSION: Eccentric endurance exercise economically improves
glucose tolerance and LDL cholesterol. It therefore is a promising new exercise
modality for individuals who are not able to participate in more strenuous
exercise regimens.

Langue : ANGLAIS