Beer or Ethanol Effects on the Body Composition Response to High-Intensity Interval Training. The BEER-HIIT Study
Question
Does moderate beer or ethanol intake modify body-composition changes induced by 10 weeks of HIIT?
Summary
In healthy adults, 10 weeks of twice-weekly whole-body HIIT improved fat mass percentage and lean mass. Moderate beer or ethanol intake did not appear to blunt the body-composition response, but allocation was partly based on participant preference and the study was small.
Methodology
- Healthy adults aged 18-40 years, BMI 18.5-30, not engaged in training.
- 72 participants.
- Circuit exercises.
- Recovery: Passive rest between exercises and active rest between sets.
- Intensity: >8/10 RPE.
- About 20-32.5 minutes/session implied by 40-65 minutes/week.
- 2 sessions/week.
- 10 weeks.
- Controlled trial with partial randomization and assessor blinding
- Body composition, and Waist and adiposity distribution were tracked.
Outcomes
Fat mass
HIIT decreased fat mass and fat mass percentage.
Fat mass percentage between-group p=0.009.
Lean mass
HIIT increased lean mass in all training beverage groups versus non-training.
Between-group p<=0.001.
Beer/ethanol interaction
Moderate beer or ethanol did not alter HIIT body-composition response.
Insights
- A twice-weekly whole-body circuit can improve body composition in healthy adults.
- Alcohol-related findings should be framed narrowly and cautiously.
Limitations
- Partial preference allocation rather than full randomization.
- Small sample and subgroups.
- Diet data were not collected during the intervention.
- Physical activity outside training was not monitored by accelerometer.
Safety
- No adverse events or injuries were reported.
- Participants completed a health exam and were excluded for pain, recent lesions, or other problems preventing strenuous activity.
- Eleven participants dropped out because of insufficient training attendance or difficulty fulfilling protocol requirements.