PMID 31695621

Research
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High Intensity Interval Training and Ultrasound Therapy for the Reduction of Body Fat Mass and Improvement of Physical Fitness in Overweight Women

Hausswirth C, Marquet LA, Nesi X, Slattery K

Question

Does adding low-frequency ultrasound to short-term HIIT improve body composition, lipid markers, and fitness in overweight sedentary women?

Summary

In sedentary overweight women, 2 weeks of supervised cycling HIIT improved VO2max, maximal aerobic power, and lower-limb force. When low-frequency ultrasound was turned on during the same HIIT sessions, women also showed greater reductions in body weight, body fat, waist/hip measures, triglycerides, NEFA, glycerol, and fasting glucose than the placebo-ultrasound group.

Methodology

  • Sedentary overweight women
  • 20 participants.
  • Cycle ergometer with ultrasound belt at waist.
  • Work intervals: 2, 3, or 4 minutes depending on session block.
  • Recovery: 2 minutes active recovery at 60% HRmax.
  • Intensity: 90% HRmax during work intervals; 60% HRmax for warm-up, recovery, and cool-down.
  • 45 minutes.
  • 3 sessions per week.
  • 2 weeks; 6 sessions.
  • Randomized placebo-controlled parallel-group trial
  • VO2max, Body fat, Triglycerides, and Fasting glucose were tracked.

Outcomes

VO2max

Both groups improved VO2max similarly.

Active ultrasound 24.7 +/- 5.4 to 28.1 +/- 5.5 mL/kg/min (+13.6%, P < 0.01); placebo 28.4 +/- 5.9 to 31.4 +/- 5.5 (+10.4%, P < 0.01); between-group P = 0.72

Improved

Body fat

Body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist, and hip measures improved in the active-ultrasound group but not placebo.

Active group body fat 32.7 +/- 3.2% to 31.2 +/- 3.0%; waist 95.8 +/- 9.6 to 89.3 +/- 8.9 cm

Improved

Lipids

Triglycerides, NEFA, and glycerol decreased in the active-ultrasound group.

Triglycerides active group -29.2%, interaction P < 0.05

Improved

Glucose

Fasting glucose decreased in the active-ultrasound group.

Active group -5.9%; placebo no significant change

Improved

Insights

  • A six-session, HR-guided cycling HIIT protocol improved fitness rapidly in sedentary overweight women.
  • The added ultrasound device drove many of the body-composition and lipid differences, so those outcomes should not be attributed to HIIT alone.
  • The protocol used longer intervals over time while maintaining a 90% HRmax target.

Limitations

  • Small sample and women-only population.
  • Very short 2-week training duration.
  • No ultrasound-only or non-exercise control group.
  • Diet was not strictly controlled; hunger and hormones were not recorded.
  • Body composition used bioelectrical impedance rather than DXA.
  • No longer follow-up.

Safety

  • Three participants withdrew due illness; relationship to intervention not reported.
  • No detailed adverse-event reporting found in the paper.