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Change in maximal fat oxidation in response to different regimes of periodized high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

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Abstract

Purpose

Increased capacity for fat oxidation (FatOx) is demonstrated in response to chronic endurance training as well as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This study examined changes in maximal fat oxidation (MFO) in response to 20 sessions of periodized HIIT in an attempt to identify if various regimes of HIIT similarly augment capacity for FatOx.

Methods

Thirty-nine habitually active men and women (mean age and VO2max = 22.5 ± 4.4 year and 40.0 ± 5.6 mL/kg/min) completed training and 32 men and women with similar physical activity and fitness level served as non-exercising controls (CON). Training consisted of ten sessions of progressive low-volume HIIT on the cycle ergometer after which participants completed an additional ten sessions of sprint interval training (SIT), high-volume HIIT, or periodized HIIT, whose assignment was randomized. Before and throughout training, MFO, FatOx, and carbohydrate oxidation (CHOOx) were assessed during progressive cycling to exhaustion.

Results

Compared to CON, there was no effect of HIIT on MFO (p = 0.11). Small increases (p = 0.03) in FatOx were evident in response to HIIT leading to an additional 4.3 g of fat oxidized, although this value may not be clinically meaningful.

Conclusions

Our results refute the widely reported increases in capacity for FatOx demonstrated with HIIT, which is likely due to marked day-to-day variability in determinations of MFO and exercise fat oxidation as well as the heterogeneity of our sample.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CHO:

Carbohydrate

CHOOx:

Carbohydrate oxidation

Fatmin:

Minimum fat oxidation

FatOx:

Fat oxidation

FFM:

Fat free mass

HIIT:

High-intensity interval training

HRmax:

Maximal heart rate

MFO:

Maximal fat oxidation

PPO:

Peak power output

RER:

Respiratory exchange ratio

SIT:

Sprint interval training

VO2max:

Maximal oxygen uptake

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the participants for their dedication to the study as well as Samantha Namm, Anthony Fischer, Kimi Wood, Kayla Snow, Matt Montell, Johnnie Durbin, Ramon Contreras, Susy Damian, Sarah Offenbecher, and Jordan Ridings for assistance with data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, CSU—San Marcos, 333. S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, UNIV 320, San Marcos, CA, USA

    Todd A. Astorino, Amy Clark, Rachael Gallant, Leesa King, Gina M. Ordille, Brendyn Heath, Matthew Montell & Jason Bandong

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, SUNY—Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA

    Ross M. Edmunds

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  1. Todd A. Astorino
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  2. Ross M. Edmunds
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  3. Amy Clark
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  4. Rachael Gallant
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  6. Gina M. Ordille
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  8. Matthew Montell
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  9. Jason Bandong
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Correspondence to Todd A. Astorino.

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Communicated by William J. Kraemer.

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Astorino, T.A., Edmunds, R.M., Clark, A. et al. Change in maximal fat oxidation in response to different regimes of periodized high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 745–755 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3535-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3535-y

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