Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that occurs as a result of the defects in insulin production, the insulin action or both. It is known that exercise has beneficial effects in the prevention and/or reducing of pathologies associated with diabetes. This study aims to evaluate the effects of swimming exercise on lipid profile and oxidant-antioxidant status in type-1 diabetic rats.

Material and Methods: The 36 rats were divided 4 groups; as control, diabetes, exercise and diabetes-exercise. Streptozotocin (STZ), (50 mg/kg, IP) was given single injection to induce diabetes. The rats were accepted diabetic having the blood glucose level above 250 mg/dL. The rats in group diabetes-exercise and exercise were subjected to 1 h swimming exercise for 4 weeks after eight days STZ injection. At the end of experiment, total oxidant (TOS) and antioxidant status (TAS), triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels were determined in blood serum.

Results: TOS was higher in both diabetic groups than the control group and the TAS was lower in the diabetic group than the other groups. In both of diabetic groups; triglyceride levels were higher but LDL levels were lower than the other groups, significantly. HDL levels were significantly increased in diabetes-exercise group compared the control and exercise groups.

Conclusion: Although diabetes increased oxidative stress, exercise increased antioxidant capacity in diabetic rats. So, exercise has potential capacity for reducing oxidative stress in diabetes. Diabetes changed lipid profiles that increased triglycerides and HDL and decreased LDL levels, but exercise was not any effects on these parameters.