# Effects of eight-week high-intensity interval training on some metabolic, hormonal and cardiovascular indices in women with PCOS: a randomized controlled trail

PMID: 36978202
Journal: BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation
Published: 2023 Mar 29
Authors: Mohammadi S, Monazzami A, Alavimilani S

## Question

Does an 8-week supervised high-intensity interval running program improve anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, and cardiovascular indices in women with PCOS?

## Summary

In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, 8 weeks of supervised running HIIT improved several anthropometric, fitness, insulin-resistance, lipid, and hormonal markers compared with a no-exercise control. VO2max rose, weight/BMI/body fat/waist-hip ratio and visceral adipose tissue decreased, and insulin/HOMA-IR/LDL/total cholesterol improved. The study was small, clinical, and used treadmill/running speeds based on maximal aerobic speed.

## Population

- Women aged 18-40 years with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria and no exercise history in the previous year.
- Sample size: 28
- Age: Control 22.9 +/- 5.3 years; HIIT 24.2 +/- 4.8 years
- Sex: Women only
- Fitness level: No history of exercise in the previous year
- Health status: PCOS; excluded weight-loss diet, oral contraceptive use, smoking, alcohol, and other effective drugs

## Methodology

- Randomized parallel controlled trial
- 8 weeks
- Supervised afternoon HIIT sessions at Torange club, Iran
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Running HIIT.
- Modality: Running based on maximal aerobic speed.
- Work intervals: 30 seconds at 100% maximum aerobic speed.
- Recovery: 30 seconds active recovery at 50% maximum aerobic speed; 5 minutes inactive recovery between laps.
- Sets or repetitions: 4 laps; sets progressed from 4 to 6.
- Intensity: 100% MAV during work and 50% MAV during active recovery.
- Session duration: Not fully stated; included 15 minute warm-up plus interval sets/laps and 5 minute rests between laps.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 8 consecutive weeks.
- Progression: Weeks 1-2: 4 sets x 4 laps; weeks 3-8: 6 sets x 4 laps.
- No-exercise control.
- Modality: No added exercise.
- Program length: 8 weeks.

## Outcomes

### Body composition and VO2max
Status: improved
HIIT reduced weight, BMI, body fat percentage, WHR, and VAT while increasing VO2max; controls were unchanged.

Within-HIIT p=0.001 for weight, BMI, fat percentage, WHR, VAT, VO2max; between-group p=0.001.

### Insulin resistance
Status: improved
Insulin and HOMA-IR decreased and QUICKI increased after HIIT.

Insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI within-HIIT and between-group p=0.001.

### Lipids and cardiovascular risk
Status: mixed
LDL and total cholesterol improved, but HDL, triglycerides, glucose, VAI, homocysteine, and hs-CRP did not significantly change compared with control.

LDL and TC p=0.001; AIP between-group p=0.027; FPG, HDL, TG, homocysteine, hs-CRP not significant.

### Hormonal markers
Status: improved
The testosterone/cortisol ratio improved with HIIT, driven by reported hormonal changes.

TS/C ratio within-HIIT p=0.009 and between-group p=0.001.

## Practical Insights

- Clinical PCOS users may respond to structured vigorous intervals, but the running workload was individualized from maximal aerobic speed and supervised.
- The 30-second work / 30-second active recovery format is app-translatable, but the volume and lap/set structure are complex.
- Do not generalize PCOS clinical biomarker findings to all users.

## Limitations

- Small sample size due to limited available subjects.
- Short 8-week training period.
- Dietary intake and energy expenditure were not controlled.
- Clinical PCOS-only female sample limits generalizability.

## Safety And Adherence

- Two participants were excluded during protocol implementation; reasons were not detailed in extracted text.
- No adverse events were described.
- Sessions were supervised by an international coach.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36978202/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00653-z) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10124995/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.