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

PMID: 29270126
Journal: Frontiers in Physiology
Published: 2017
Authors: 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.

## Population

- Healthy physically active young men with habitual 7-8 h sleep/night
- Sample size: 11
- Age: 18-30 years in methods
- Sex: 11 men
- Fitness level: Physically active in aerobic modalities for at least 2 years, 5 times/week
- Health status: Healthy, non-smoking, no cardiovascular disease, diabetes, impaired glucose, sleep disorders, or relevant medication use

## Methodology

- Sequential experimental condition study
- 2-week HIIT periods plus sleep/rest experimental conditions
- Laboratory sleep, metabolic, and cycling performance testing
- Controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Two-week cycling HIIT.
- Modality: Cycle ergometer.
- Work intervals: 60 s.
- Recovery: 75 s active recovery at 30 W.
- Sets or repetitions: 8 intervals in sessions 1-2, 10 in sessions 3-4, 12 in sessions 5-6.
- Intensity: Workload corresponding to VO2peak/peak power.
- Session duration: 3 min warm-up plus interval set.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 2 weeks.
- Progression: Intervals progressed from 8 to 12 repetitions.
- Rested sleep and sleep deprivation conditions.
- Modality: No exercise before sleep/rest condition.
- Program length: Conditions included regular sleep, 24 h sleep deprivation, HIIT plus regular sleep, and HIIT plus sleep deprivation.
- Progression: One-month washout between HIIT condition blocks.

## Outcomes

### Glucose AUC
Status: improved
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

### Insulin AUC
Status: improved
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

### Insulin indexes
Status: no clear change
HOMA-IR and Matsuda index did not differ significantly across conditions.

No significant condition differences reported

### Time trials
Status: improved
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

## Practical 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 And Adherence

- All subjects completed the six HIIT sessions without complications.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29270126/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00992) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5725446/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.