PMID 32586268

Research
All papers

Combined high-intensity interval training and green tea supplementation enhance metabolic and antioxidant status in response to acute exercise in overweight women

Ghasemi E, Afzalpour ME, Nayebifar S

Question

Does combining 10 weeks of HIIT with green tea supplementation improve SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, catalase, body composition, and acute exercise responses more than HIIT or green tea alone in overweight women?

Summary

Thirty sedentary overweight young women were randomized to HIIT plus green tea, HIIT plus placebo, or green tea only for 10 weeks. The HIIT protocol used 30-second maximal shuttle runs with 30-second active rests, progressing from 4 to 8 repetitions. The combined HIIT plus green tea group showed the largest improvements in SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, catalase, body composition, and VO2max markers.

Methodology

  • Sedentary overweight young women aged 20-30 years with BMI >=25 kg/m2
  • 30 participants.
  • 40-m shuttle run.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds active rest.
  • Intensity: 90% estimated HRmax.
  • 24-28 minutes including warm-up/cooldown.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 10 weeks.
  • Randomized placebo-controlled training and supplementation study
  • SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, Catalase, and Body composition were tracked.

Outcomes

SIRT1

SIRT1 increased after 10 weeks, with greatest increase in HIIT plus green tea.

P<=0.0001 for baseline serum changes; acute response p<=0.01.

Improved

PGC-1alpha

PGC-1alpha increased after 10 weeks and was higher in the combined group.

P<=0.0001 reported.

Improved

Catalase

Catalase increased after 10 weeks and acute response improved.

Baseline change P<=0.0001; acute response P<=0.002.

Improved

Body/VO2

Authors reported improved body composition and VO2max, especially with combined HIIT and green tea.

Improved

Insights

  • A 30:30 shuttle-run format can progress from 4 to 8 intervals over 10 weeks.
  • Supplement co-interventions complicate translation of results to exercise-only programming.

Limitations

  • Small sample
  • All young overweight women
  • No catechin concentration measured
  • Limited adverse-event reporting
  • No HIIT-only group without placebo/supplement framing

Safety

  • Authors stated the combined approach had no adverse cardiovascular effect, but detailed adverse-event data were not extracted.