Influence of partial immersion and exercise on lipid metabolism in the rat

Abstract

Young rats kept on a choline-deficient diet were forced to swim 2 1/2 or 5 hr daily for 3 weeks in water at 18 or 27–30 C. Livers from rats·which swam the longer time had a total lipid and liver cholesterol content similar to that of choline-supplemented rats. The duration of swimming affected the extent to which total lipid was lowered. Factors other than exercise were involved since rats which stood in water for 2 1/2 hr had hepatic lipid and cholesterol values comparable with those which swam 2 1/2 hr.