Research
Hormonal
Aerobic training significantly increases HDL cholesterol in middle-aged, android-obese men, whereas resistance training does not.
To improve your HDL cholesterol, engage in aerobic exercise (like skiing or brisk walking) for 40 minutes, 3 times a week, keeping your heart rate between 60-85% of your max. Resistance training alone will not significantly raise HDL.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
HDL cholesterol was significantly elevated with aerobic training... consistent with other studies of strength training and lipid profiles, we found no effect of resistance training on HDL levels.
Why this rating
Randomized trial, small sample size, short duration.
Source
Effects of Resistance versus Aerobic Training on Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors
William J. Banz et al. · Experimental Biology and Medicine · 2003
DOI 10.1177/153537020322800414
rct · n=26Cited 233×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Resistance training significantly reduces body fat percentage and increases fat-free mass in middle-aged, android-obese men, whereas aerobic training does not significantly alter body composition.Moderate
- Both aerobic and resistance training significantly reduce microalbuminuria in middle-aged, android-obese men, suggesting cardiovascular and renal protection.Moderate
- Both aerobic and resistance training significantly increase plasma fibrinogen levels in middle-aged, android-obese men, which is a paradoxical increase in a known cardiovascular risk factor.Moderate
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