PMID 29270126

Research
All papers

High-Intensity Interval Training Attenuates Insulin Resistance Induced by Sleep Deprivation in Healthy Males

de Souza JFT, Dáttilo M, de Mello MT, Tufik S, Antunes HKM

Question

Can 2 weeks of cycling HIIT attenuate insulin-resistance responses induced by acute sleep deprivation in healthy men?

Summary

In healthy active young men, 24 h sleep deprivation worsened oral-glucose-tolerance responses. Completing 2 weeks of cycling HIIT before sleep deprivation attenuated the glucose, insulin, and free-fatty-acid disruption and improved time-trial performance.

Methodology

  • Healthy physically active young men with habitual 7-8 h sleep/night
  • 11 participants.
  • Cycle ergometer.
  • Work intervals: 60 s.
  • Recovery: 75 s active recovery at 30 W.
  • Intensity: Workload corresponding to VO2peak/peak power.
  • 3 min warm-up plus interval set.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 2 weeks.
  • Sequential experimental condition study
  • Glucose tolerance, Free fatty acids and cortisol, Cycling performance, and Training completion were tracked.

Outcomes

Glucose AUC

HIIT attenuated the sleep-deprivation increase in glucose exposure.

Glucose AUC was higher in sleep deprivation than regular sleep, p = 0.03; HIIT plus sleep deprivation was not elevated to the same extent

Improved

Insulin AUC

HIIT attenuated the sleep-deprivation increase in insulin response.

Insulin at 60 min p = 0.01; insulin AUC higher in sleep deprivation than other conditions, p = 0.02

Improved

Insulin indexes

HOMA-IR and Matsuda index did not differ significantly across conditions.

No significant condition differences reported

No clear change

Time trials

HIIT improved short and longer cycling performance.

HIIT + regular sleep improved 4 km, p = 0.03; HIIT + sleep deprivation improved 4 km, p < 0.01, and 30 km, p = 0.02

Improved

Insights

  • Even a 6-session HIIT block can improve performance in already active men.
  • HIIT may buffer acute metabolic disruption from sleep loss, but evidence is small and male-only.
  • Sleep context matters when interpreting glucose responses around training.

Limitations

  • Small sample
  • Non-randomized sequential condition order
  • Healthy active men only
  • Nutrition was not fully standardized
  • Catecholamines and melatonin were not measured

Safety

  • All subjects completed the six HIIT sessions without complications.