Multiple bouts of resistance exercise and postprandial triacylglycerol and serum C-reactive-protein concentrations

The present study examined how multiple bouts of resistance exercise, performed over 1 d, influence 2 risk factors - postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) and serum C-reactive-protein (CRP) concentrations - associated with coronary heart disease. Twenty-four men age 23.5 (SD 3.4) y completed two 2-d trials, exercise and control, at least 1 wk apart in a counterbalanced randomized design. On day 1 of the exercise trials participants completed 20 sets of 15 repetitions of 5 different resistance exercises divided into five 45-min bouts of exercise - 100 sets and 1500 repetitions in total for all exercises. Exercises were performed at 30-40% of 1-repetition maximum. Blood samples were taken before and after exercise. On day 1 of the control trial participants were inactive, with blood samples taken at time points corresponding to the exercise trial. On day 2 of both trials participants consumed a test meal (0.89 g fat, 1.23 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g protein, 60 kJ per kg body mass). Blood samples were obtained fasted and for 6 h postprandially. Total area under the postprandial TAG concentration versus time curve was 12% lower in the exercise than in the control trial (8.76 [3.54] vs. 9.94 [4.31] mmol·L^-1·6 h, respectively; P = 0.037). Serum CRP concentrations did not change over the 2 d in the control trial but increased in the exercise trial: trial x time interaction (P = 0.028). Multiple bouts of resistance exercise reduce postprandial TAG concentrations but increase serum CRP concentrations. The extent to which these findings are clinically relevant requires further study.