Glycative Stress Research
Online edition : ISSN 2188-3610
Print edition : ISSN 2188-3602
Received : December 1, 2014
Accepted : March 16, 2015
Published online : June 30, 2015

Original article

Lipid profile of masters athletes in ice-skating, a model of anti-aging research
Hiroshi Bando 1), Takumi Nakamura 2, 3), Yoshikazu Yonei 3), Yuko Takenaka 4), Kazuo Seki 5)1) The University of Tokushima / Kitajima Taoka Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
2) Nakamura Orthopedic Clinic and Anti-Aging Center, Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan3) Anti-Aging Medical Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
4) Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
5) Japan Masters’ Speed Skating Athletes Association, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

Objective: Masters athletes in ice-skating are considered to serve as a model of anti-aging research. Previously, we investigateda study population of such athletes using the Anti-Aging QOL Common Questionnaire (AAQOL), and proposed a method ofanalysis by category. In this study, blood data from masters athletes in ice-skating were analyzed with a focus on lipid profiles.
Methods: Lipid profiles, a parameter closely associated with glycation stress, were examined in 76 male masters athletes in
ice-skating (aged 40-73 years with a mean age of 54.2 ± 9.5 years).
Results: With regard to body mass index (BMI), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL), LDL/HDL, and atherogenic index (AI), the values were often within their respective normal
ranges for 84.2%-98.6% of the subjects. A significant correlation was found in the combinations of parameters BMI and TG (r= 0.31), BMI and AI (r = 0.22), TG and HDL (r = 0.52), TG and AI (r = 0.57), and TG and HDL/LDL (r = 0.29).
Conclusion: The results of the present study are believed to be highly significant as it was conducted using an exclusive
limited population of subjects as a model of anti-aging medicines with nearly uniform lifestyles; the results of such a population
have not been reported to date. This study provides meaningful basic data for future research. The results of the present study
revealed characteristic findings, including low TG, hyper-HDL-emia, and BMI-lipid correlations, along with evidence forlow levels of glycation stress, suggesting that the exercise habits of these subjects maintained over many years might have afavorable effect. It should be noted, however, that the present study involves a limitation from the analytical viewpoint of lipid
profile only; it will be necessary to investigate correlations with lifestyles, cardiopulmonary function, exercise function, andother factors, as well as lipid profiles.

KEY WORDS: lipid profile, masters athletes, ice-skating, aerobic exercise, resistanceIntroduction

Master athletes are defined as athletes typically older than
35 years of age and systematically training for, and competingin organized forms 1). They usually continue sports for longyears with less vascular diseases, dementia or social problems,compared to usual healthy middle-aged people 2- 6). From thesereports, it is more likely that masters athletes would be thehealthy long-lived model or achiever 2-4).
We have investigated the anti-aging research for healthy
subjects and patients with various diseases, using the standard
Anti-Aging QOL common Questionnaire (AAQOL) 7, 8 ) .
AAQOL has been useful tool for investigating daily QOL,
including 30 physical, 22 psychological symptoms, andseveral life style-related inquiries. We proposed the newcategorization analysis method and revealed the significant

differences between masters athletes and usual healthy
middle-aged people 7, 8) .
In addition, we have studied the detail aspect of masterathletes in ice-skating and revealed their characteristic points.
They usually participate the annual ice-skating competition,and continue regular life style and applicable habit of meal,
alcohol and smoking, having almost same exercise habit during
four seasons with 4.3-4.5 days per week 8, 9 ) . Consequently,
masters athletes would be suitable for study subjects in thefield of anti-aging medicine with the purpose of pursuinghealth and long life.
Recently, anti-aging research has been progressed globally,
and glycation stress and advanced glycation end products(AGEs) have been focused as risk factors of the aging.

Contact Address: Hiroshi BANDO, MD, PhD
Affiliation: The University of Tokushima,
Graduate School of Internal Medicine / Kitajima Taoka Hospital
Phone: +81-90-3187-2485 Fax: +81-88-603-1030 E-mail: pianomed@bronze.ocn.ne.jp
Co-authors: Takumi Nakamura: takumi-e@sb3.so-net.ne.jp Yoshikazu Yonei: yyonei@mail.doshisha.ac.jp
Yuko Takenaka: yuko-373@mail.goo.ne.jp Kazuo Seki: seki-kazuo@kni.biglobe.ne.jp_ 52 _

Glycative Stress Research 2015; 2 (2): 52-57(c) Society for Glycation Stress ResearchGlycative Stress Research

Not only the glucose metabolism but also the lipid (LDLcholesterol and triglyceride) would influence glycation stress.
Moreover, the exercise has been known to be effective in
reducing glycation stress 10) .
In the previous reports, athletes have tendency to show
decreased triglyceride (TG) and elevated HDL levels 11, 12).
Thus, we can raise a hypothesis that persistent exercise inmasters athletes could improve glucose and lipid metabolism,
resulting in decreased glycation stress. Correlations among
these several factors must be investigated in this field of
research.
In this study, we investigated glucose and lipid metabolism
for masters athletes in ice-skating, who have an almost
uniform lifestyle with constant exercise habit.

tool. Intergroup comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon
rank sum test or the Bonferroni multiple comparison (Lambertmethod). A significance level of less than 5% obtained using
the two-tailed test was considered to indicate a significant
difference.

Ethical Considerations

The present study was conducted in compliance withthe ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki andJapan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information, andwith reference to the Ministerial Ordinance on Good Clinical
Practice (GCP) for Drug (Ordinance of Ministry of Healthand Welfare No. 28 of March 27, 1997). No ethics committee
meeting was held. We got the informed consent from thesubjects concerning this questionnaire.

Methods
Subjects

The subjects of this study consisted of 76 male masters
athletes in ice skating who had been ice skaters for at least 5
years. The mean age is 54.2 ± 9.5 years, and median age is52.5 years, ranging 40 -73 years old ( Table 1 ).

Survey methods and parameters

A questionnaire form was sent to 94 candidate subjects
who attended annual masters skating game, of whom 76
responded (responding ratio: 81%). Each subject was asked tolist his height, body weight, and blood test data focusing on
lipid, including total cholesterol (Total-C), triglyceride (TG),high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), and low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL). In addition to these parameters,
correlations with body mass index (BMI) as well as thearteriosclerosis indicators LDL / HDL ratio and atherogenic
index (AI) were statistically analyzed using the equation AI =(Total-C − HDL) ÷ (HDL).

Results

The BMI, TG, HDL, LDL, LDL / HDL, and AI
distributions among the 76 subjects are shown in Fig. 1, andthe results for these parameters and the ratios of respondents
with normal values are shown in Table 2. With regard to theseparameters, the values were often within their respective
normal ranges for 84.2%-98.6% of the respondents. The
normal ranges in this study are citied from the ordinary
clinical laboratory values which is broadly used in Japan.
Correlations between various marker combinations were
examined, and the results for correlations among all markers
are shown in Table 3. Combinations of parameters found tohave a significant correlation consisted of BMI and TG (r =0.31), BMI and AI (r = 0.22), TG and HDL (r = 0.52), TG andAI (r = 0.57), and TG and HDL/LDL (r = 0.29).

Statistical analyses

Data were shown as the mean ± standard deviation. For
statistical analyses, correlation coefficients (Pearson) were
calculated using the JMP (Version 8) statistical analysis
software (JMP Japan Division of SAS Institute Japan Ltd.,
Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan) and the Microsoft Excel analytical

Table 1. Age distribution of the subjects
age

40 -

45 -

50 -

55 -

60 -

65 -

70 -

n

10

23

10

8

11

8

6

_ 53 _

Lipid profile of masters athletes in ice-skating

BM I

30

20

20

26

30

28

10

23

10
8

6
0

LDL

30

1
〜19

19〜

21〜

23〜

25〜

4
27〜

8
1

0

〜60

29〜 (kg /㎡)

TG

40

1

7

3
60〜

80〜

100〜

120〜

140〜

6
160〜 (mg /dL)

LDL/HDL

30

30
20
20
32

22

10
19

10

9

7

11
5

0
〜50

50〜

100〜

150〜

24

200〜

2

2

250〜

300〜 (mg /dL)

0

HD L

30

10
5

3
〜1

1〜

1.5〜

2〜

2.5〜

3〜

1
3.5 〜

AI

40

30
20
20
23

10

20

2
〜40

40〜

10

13

12
0

50〜

37

60〜

70〜

3

3

80〜

90〜 (mg /dL)0

Fig 1. Profiles of serum lipids in masters athletes.

18

17

1
〜1

1〜

2〜

3〜

2

1

0

4〜

5〜

6〜

BMI, body mass index; TG, triglyceride; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; AI, atherogenic index.

_ 54 _Glycative Stress Research

Table 2. Data of the subjects and the normal ratio of each marker.
data of the subjects (n = 76)

normalnormalnormal

Mean

SD

max

min

medianrange

numberratio (%)

BMI (kg/m2 )

23.4

2.1

30.1

18.1

23.3

＜ 25

64 / 76

84.2

TG (mg/dL)

119

64.5

339

34

97

＜ 150

58 / 76

76.3

HDL (mg/dL)

61.3

14.3

109

33

61

≧ 40

75 / 76

98.6

LDL (mg/dL)

121

25

183

47

76

＜ 140

64 / 76

84.2

LDL / HDL

2.08

0.62

3.78

0.72

2.02

≦ 3.0

71 / 76

93.4

AI

2.5

0.9

5.3

0.9

2.5

≦ 4.0

74 / 76

97.4

BMI, body mass index; TG, triglyceride; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol;AI, atherogenic index; SD, standard deviation.

Table 3. p and r values of correlation among lipid markers.

p valuer value

BMI

TG

HDL

LDL

LDL / HDL

AI

BMI

-

0.003 *

0.06

0.43

0.06

0.03 *

TG

0.003 *-

＜ 0.001 *0.12

0.005 *

＜ 0.001 *

HDL

0.06

＜ 0.001 *-0.22＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *

LDL

0.43

0.12

0.22

-

＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *LDL / HDL

0.06

0.005 *

＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *-＜ 0.001 *AI

0.03 *＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *＜ 0.001 *

-

BMI

-

0.31

0.18

0.02

0.18

0.22

TG

0.31

-

0.52

0.13

0.29

0.57

HDL

0.18

0.52

-

0.09

0.72

0.83

LDL

0.02

0.13

0.09

-

0.69

0.41

LDL / HDL

0.18

0.29

0.72

0.69

-

0.89

AI

0.22

0.57

0.83

0.41

0.89

-

BMI, body mass index; TG, triglyceride; HDL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol;AI, atherogenic index.

_ 55 _

Lipid profile of masters athletes in ice-skating

Discussion
In this study, we examined the lipid profiles of masters
athletes in ice skating, a model of anti-aging research. The
subjects represented a population exclusively with nearly
uniform lifestyles. Since no study of such a limited population
has been reported to date, the present study is believed to beof highly clinical significance as it provides relevant basic
data for significant research.
Reported studies using AAQOL revealed that masters
athletes in ice skating and those in field and track events had
less symptoms physically and mentally, and had favorable
lifestyle profiles 7- 9). Moreover, genetic and metabolic adaptive
pathways are known to be altered by exercise habit in masters
athletes 13). AAQOL has been the simple and useful toolfor evaluating more than 50 physiological / psychologicalsymptoms. The limitation of AAQOL, however, would beunable to cover all other clinical symptoms and problems.
In the anti-aging and sports medicine, people with daily
exercise habits are reported to have low BMI values andappropriate HDL and TG concentrations 14). Skating androwing have similarity for its strong powerful load and longtime endurance exercise. A study on lipids in rowing athletes(mean age: 64 years; 17 subjects) revealed that their LDL /HDL ratios were lower than those of subjects at similar ages
and young rowing athletes, indicating that rowing was suitablefor health promotion 15). In addition, habitual rowing exercise
in the elderly did not influence arteriosclerosis 16).
No study on BMI or lipid profile data from a limited study
population as middle-aged and elderly masters athletes in ice
skating has thus far been reported; the present report is thefirst such report. In the present study, the BMI value tended to
be lower than the normal range, whereas the ratio of subjects
with normal TG, HDL, LDL, LDL/HDL ratio, and AI values
was higher at 76 -98% ( Fig. 1, Table 2).
With regard to correlations between various combinationsof parameters, many significant correlations were found,including the correlation between high HDL and low TG,
which was characteristic of masters athletes in ice skating(Table 3). This appears to be related to the fact that the study
population consisted of subjects having a limited range ofconditions.
On the other hand, the correlation between BMI andHDL or LDL/HDL ratio was found to have a p-value of 0.06,
which was slightly lower than the cutoff value for a significant
correlation (p < 0.05); this was attributable, in part, to the low
LDL/HDL ratio values in patients with extremely high HDL
values.
Persisting aerobic exercises do not always result inincreased HDL. In a review of 84 articles, including 58
randomized controlled trials (RCTs), studies were roughlyclassified according to exercise conditions 17). That review
found significantly increased HDL at 3-25% incidences(6/28 articles) and decreased TG at 18-25% (3/27 articles)with moderate aerobic exercises, significantly increased
HDL at 2-21% (22/37 articles) and decreased TG at 2-20%(12/35 articles) with intense aerobic exercises, decreased
LDL at 5-23% (9/23 articles) and decreased TG at 11-28%(3/23 articles) with resistance exercises, and decreased LDL
at 4-34% (3/8 articles) and increased HDL at 3.5-23% (3/8
articles) with both aerobic and resistance exercises.
Separately, a review of 1833 subjects in 31 RCT reports
found that aerobic exercises produced a reduction of TG of
7.1 mg/dL and a rise of HDL of 1.9 mg/dL18). A review of

46 articles, including 8 RCT articles and 3 articles on quasiexperimental studies, suggests that the intensity and durationof aerobic exercises may have a differential effect on HDL
increases 1 9 ) . Changed ratio of HDL and TG levels are higher
in athletes than that in non-athletes 2 0 ) . The age-dependent
worsening of lipid profiles is observed in sedentary elderly
subjects, but the beneficial effects of motor activities on lipid
profile observed, recommending of physical exercises tothe elderly 21). Moreover, in the masters athletes and normal
healthy subjects, persisting aerobic exercise (inspiration andexpiration) influence the changes of TG and HDL levels 22).
A practical demonstrative study reviewed 25 RCT
articles encompassing a period of 40 years, showing that the
HDL level began increasing at an exercise volume of 120
minutes/week, with a 1.4 mg/dL increment of HDL every 10
minutes 23). We can apply these results to the data obtained in
the present study, with the data of average exercise volume of
60-90 minutes/day and ≥ 3-4 days/week for masters athletes
in ice skating. The weekly exercise volume was calculated as
approximately 240-360 minutes, and the increase in HDL as
approximately 16-32 mg/dL. The present data seems to be inagreement with the aforementioned result (Table 2).
A study conducted from the viewpoint of anti-aging
research showed that perceptions of the 5-year age competitive
categories influence the competitiveness in masters sports,
and it identified five mental factors (expectancy, motivation,
training, awareness of advantages, and physiologicalcapacity 24). It is hoped that further investigations will
be conducted to clarify not only lipid profiles, but also
associations with AAQOL findings, cardiopulmonary
function, exercise capacity, and other related factors.

Conclusion

Lipid profiles were examined in masters athletes in ice
skating, the model of anti-aging research. The observed BMI,TG, HDL, LDL, LDL/HDL, and AI values were found tooften be within their respective normal ranges associated withlow glycation stress, and were attributable to exercise habits
over many years.

Acknowledgement

A summary version of this article was presented at the10th Scientific Meeting of Japanese Society of Anti-Aging
Medicine (Kyoto) in 2010. Thereafter, further investigations
were conducted with an expanded sample size yielding theadditional data presented in the present article.

Statement of conflict of interest_ 56 _

Non contributory.

Glycative Stress Research

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