PMID 35205063

Research
All papers

Effects of 8 Weeks of High-Intensity Interval Training and Spirulina Supplementation on Immunoglobin Levels, Cardio-Respiratory Fitness, and Body Composition of Overweight and Obese Women

Nobari H, Gandomani EE, Reisi J, Vahabidelshad R, Suzuki K, Volpe SL, Pérez-Gómez J

Question

Do 8 weeks of HIIT and/or 6 g/day spirulina supplementation affect humoral immunity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition in sedentary overweight or obese women?

Summary

Thirty sedentary overweight or obese women were assigned to placebo plus HIIT, spirulina alone, or spirulina plus HIIT for 8 weeks. The HIIT protocol was short running/walking intervals at 90% estimated maximum heart rate, progressing from 4 to 7 repetitions. The clearest reported effects were increased IgA in spirulina groups and reduced fat-free mass in the combined spirulina plus HIIT group; VO2max and most body-composition changes were not statistically highlighted.

Methodology

  • Sedentary overweight and obese women
  • 30 participants.
  • Running/walking intervals.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds running.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds active walking.
  • Intensity: 90% maximum heart rate.
  • 24-27 minutes including warm-up and cool-down.
  • 3 sessions per week.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Quasi-experimental double-blinded baseline/post intervention study
  • IgA, IgG, VO2max, and Body composition were tracked.

Outcomes

IgA

IgA increased significantly in spirulina-only and combined spirulina plus HIIT groups.

Group-by-time p=0.036; CG p=0.02, g=0.70; SG p=0.001, g=0.34.

Improved

FFM

Fat-free mass decreased significantly in the spirulina plus HIIT group.

Group-by-time p=0.001; CG p=0.012, g=-0.55.

Safety concern

IgG

IgG did not significantly change, though spirulina groups had medium-to-large percentage changes.

No clear change

VO2max

VO2max increased numerically in HIIT groups, but the main text did not present it as a significant finding.

PH 21.8 +/- 3.4 to 23.4 +/- 1.8; CG 23.2 +/- 2.1 to 25.6 +/- 3.1.

Unclear

Insights

  • This is a poor source for broad HIIT body-composition claims because the significant combined-group body composition result was lower FFM.
  • The exercise dose is very low and may be easy to translate, but outcome evidence is supplement-confounded.

Limitations

  • Diet not controlled
  • Short duration
  • Small sample
  • Only women
  • Field protocol limited control of training intensity

Safety

  • No adverse events, injuries, or spirulina side effects were reported. Safety/context details reported: participants with medical conditions for physical activity were excluded, missing more than three practice sessions led to exclusion, participants were told to avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking, medications, performance-enhancing capsules, and other supplements around treatment/testing, HR was monitored by an instructor using Polar, and all exercise-group participants completed the exercises.