PMID 34912517

Research
All papers

The Effect of All Extremity High Intensity Interval Training on Athero-Protective Factors and Endothelial Function in Overweight and Obese Women

Hovsepian V, Marandi SM, Esfarjani F, Zavar R, Sadeghi M

Question

Does non-weight-bearing all-extremity HIIT improve FGF21, adiponectin, nitric oxide, flow-mediated dilation, aerobic fitness, and body composition in overweight and obese women?

Summary

In sedentary overweight or obese young women, 10 weeks of supervised non-weight-bearing arm-and-leg ergometer HIIT improved flow-mediated dilation, adiponectin, VO2max, weight, body fat, and waist circumference compared with a control group. FGF21 and nitric oxide did not change, and one participant withdrew because of exercise-induced asthma at high intensity.

Methodology

  • Sedentary overweight or obese female university students.
  • 26 participants.
  • Simultaneous upper-body and lower-body ergometers.
  • Work intervals: 4 minutes.
  • Recovery: 3 minutes.
  • Intensity: 85-90% maximum heart rate during work intervals; 70% maximum heart rate during recovery.
  • 40 minutes.
  • 4 sessions per week.
  • 10 weeks.
  • Semi-experimental controlled pre/post intervention.
  • Endothelial function, Atheroprotective biomarkers, Aerobic fitness, and Body composition were tracked.

Outcomes

FMD

Flow-mediated dilation improved after all-extremity HIIT compared with control.

HIIT 8.83 ± 3.71 to 10.21 ± 3.73%; control 9.27 ± 5.01 to 8.07 ± 4.06%; ANCOVA p < 0.001.

Improved

Adiponectin

Adiponectin increased with HIIT and differed from control.

HIIT 8.37 ± 1.09 to 8.95 ± 0.55 ng/ml; between-group p = 0.01.

Improved

FGF21 and NO

FGF21 and nitric oxide did not significantly change.

FGF21 between-group p = 0.93; NO between-group p = 0.84.

No clear change

VO2max and body composition

VO2max increased and weight, body fat percentage, and waist circumference decreased after HIIT.

VO2max 28.55 ± 3.75 to 34.19 ± 4.09 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001; body fat 38.83 ± 2.21 to 36.22 ± 3.21%, p < 0.001; weight and waist between-group p < 0.001.

Improved

Insights

  • Non-weight-bearing HIIT may be useful when running or walking HIIT is limited by body mass, joint load, or weakness.
  • Using both upper and lower limbs can create a large-muscle-mass stimulus without impact loading.
  • The protocol needs specialized ergometers and heart-rate supervision, limiting direct home translation.

Limitations

  • Small female-only sample.
  • Randomization was not clearly reported.
  • Young university students only.
  • VO2max was estimated by a submaximal test.
  • Diet and physical activity were recorded but not tightly controlled.
  • One high-intensity asthma-related dropout.

Safety

  • Four of 30 participants did not complete the intervention.
  • One withdrawal was due to exercise-induced asthma at high HIIT intensities.
  • Three additional withdrawals were due to schedule conflict.
  • Authors described the program as feasible and well tolerated based on 86% completion.