Press Releases

Studies suggest HIIT exercise could improve cognitive function, surgical outcomes, inflammation and more

Rockville, Md. (November 9, 2020)—Rockville, Md. (November 9, 2020)—Exercise physiologists attending the virtual American Physiological Society (APS) Integrative Physiology of Exercise conference meeting will present new research on high-intensity interval training (HIIT), exploring the method’s potential to improve health outcomes. HIIT involves short sessions of very intense cardio training designed to push the body to its limits. The research is being presented this week.

Exploring the Effects of Different Types of HIIT on Cognitive Function in Healthy Young Men
Researchers from the Education University of Hong Kong discovered four different types of exercise—HIIT, high-intensity interval running, moderate-intensity continuous cycling and moderate-intensity continuous running—resulted in similar positive effects on cognitive (executive) function in healthy young men.

Pilot Study Indicates HIIT Could Mitigate Inflammation in Women with Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers from the University of Sherbrooke, Canada, tested the effects of a 12-week HIIT regimen on the physiological parameters—specifically gene expression in monocytes—of women with type 2 diabetes who developed cardiovascular disease. The findings show HIIT reduced the expression of 56 genes known to be associated with inflammation. This suggests HIIT could mitigate inflammation, resulting in favorable physiological adaptions in women with type 2 diabetes.

The Utility of Preoperative HIIT
“We are asking how many HIIT sessions do we need to elicit a medically meaningful change in fitness in clinical patients," said researchers from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Findings suggest preoperative HIIT reduces complications during recovery after surgery. The study also indicates better physical fitness improves the holistic quality of life in patients, making them more resilient and the activities of daily living more manageable.

High-intensity Exercise Reduces Liver Inflammation, Slows Progression of Steatohepatitis
Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that HIIT reduced the progression of fatty liver disease. They also found that HIIT was superior to moderate-intensity exercise at improving metabolism and reducing inflammation and damage. Researchers believe this study could help improve health by providing a rationale for choosing HIIT over other exercise regimens to reverse liver disease.

HIIT Increased Aerobic Capacity but Didn’t Improve Peripheral Insulin Sensitivity in Insulin-resistant or Insulin-sensitive Obese Adults
Researchers from the University of Michigan contend that HIIT promotes important metabolic health benefits in adults with obesity. This study indicates 12 weeks of HIIT increased aerobic capacity similarly in both insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive obese adults, but it did not translate to improvements in peripheral insulin sensitivity.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The APS Integrative Physiology of Exercise will be held November 9–13 on a virtual platform. To schedule an interview with the conference organizers or presenters, contact the APS Communications Office or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in the APS Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.