The Effects of 8-Weeks Aerobic Exercise Program on Blood Lipids and Cholesterol Profile of Smokers vs. Non Smokers

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 8-week aerobic exercise program on blood lipids and cholesterol profile of smoker's vs. non-smokers. A total of 34 male subjects (18 non-smokers and 16 smokers) took part in this study. Both groups were pre- and post tested in their blood-lipids and cholesterol profile before and after the 8-week aerobic training program. The results indicated that aerobic training improves blood lipids and cholesterol in both groups but the magnitude of improvement in both groups was not statistically different compared to the post-test scores. However, this study revealed that smokers can benefit from aerobic exercise as much as non-smokers. This indicates that smoking does not hinder smokers from improving their general health via regular aerobic exercise. It seems that longer than 8-week aerobic training program is needed to improve significantly blood-lipids and cholesterol profile in both smokers and non smokers.