High intensity training improves health and physical function in middle aged adults

Abstract

High intensity training (HIT) is effective at improving health; however, it is unknown whether HIT also improves physical function. This study aimed to determine whether HIT improves metabolic health and physical function in untrained middle aged individuals. Fourteen (three male and eleven female) untrained individuals were recruited (control group n = 6: age 42 ± 8 y, weight 64 ± 10 kg, BMI 24 ± 2 kg·m-2 or HIT group n = 8: age 43 ± 8 y, weight 80 ± 8 kg, BMI 29 ± 5 kg·m-2). Training was performed twice weekly, consisting of 10 × 6-second sprints with a one minute recovery between each sprint. Metabolic health (oral glucose tolerance test), aerobic capacity (incremental time to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer) and physical function (get up and go test, sit to stand test and loaded 50 m walk) were determined before and after training. Following eight weeks of HIT there was a significant improvement in aerobic capacity (8% increase in VO2 peak; p < 0.001), physical function (11%-27% respectively; p < 0.05) and a reduction in blood glucose area under the curve (6% reduction; p < 0.05). This study demonstrates for the first time the potential of HIT as a training intervention to improve skeletal muscle function and glucose clearance as we age.

Figure 1

Change in VO₂ peak for control and HIT pre and post intervention. * p < 0.05 pre to post within groups; ** p < 0.001 pre to post within groups; † p < 0.02 magnitude of change between groups.

Figure 2

(a) Time taken to complete a loaded 50m walk test. (b) Time taken to complete a get up and go test. (c) Total number of sit to stands performed in 30 seconds. * p < 0.05 pre to post within groups; ** p < 0.001 pre to post within groups; † p < 0.02 magnitude of change between groups; ‡ p < 0.001magnitude of change between groups.

Figure 3

Change in glucose AUC for control and HIT pre and post intervention. * p < 0.05 pre to post within groups.