Effects of Physical Exercise on Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides in Postmenopausal Women
Abstract
This study was performed on 18 postmenopausal female volunters in order to examine changes in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), total cholesterol (TC) and serum triglyceride (TG) levels in a period of four months of moderate physical exercise. While SHBG decreased significantly (from 5 5. 3 ± 20.9 to 48.3 ± 21.0 nM, P < 0.051, TG increased significantly (from 87 ± 41.7 to 120.5 ± 57.5 mg/dl, P < 0.001). These changes were accompanied by a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in body fat content. Other parameters such as HDL- cholesterol, TC and BMI did not change significantly. Plasma levels of SHBG were negatively correlated to serum TG both at the beginning (r = 0.492, P < 0.05) and at the end (r = 0.538, P < 0.05) of the period of moderate exercise. Also, changes in SHBG were negatively correlated with changes in BMI (r = 0.585, P < 0. 0 5) and this could indicate that SHBG levels are more related to nutritional status than androgen/estrogen imbalance.