Abstract
BackgroundHigh-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective approach to improve physical fitness, but consuming beer, which is a regular practice in many physically active individuals, may interfere with these effects. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of a 10-week (2 days/week) HIIT program on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and power parameters, and also to assess the possible influence on them of a moderate consumption of beer (at least from Monday to Friday) or its alcohol equivalent.Methods: Young (24 ± 6 years old) healthy adults (n = 73, 35 females) were allocated to five groups. Four groups participated in the HIIT intervention program while the fifth group was a control Non-Training group (n = 15). Participants in the training groups chose whether they preferred receiving alcohol or alcohol-free beverages. Those choosing alcohol were randomized to either beer or ethanol intake: (i) T-Beer group (alcohol beer, 5.4%; n = 13) or (ii) T-Ethanol (sparkling water with vodka, 5.4%; n = 14). Those choosing alcohol-free intake were randomized to (iii) T-Water group (sparkling water, 0.0%; n = 16), or (iv) T-0.0Beer group (alcohol-free beer, 0.0%; n = 15). Men ingested 330 ml of the beverage at lunch and 330 ml at dinner; women ingested 330 ml at dinner. Before and after the intervention, maximal oxygen uptake in absolute and relative terms (VO2max.), maximal heart rate, total test duration, hand grip strength and four types of vertical jumps were measured.ResultsHIIT induced significant improvements in absolute and relative values of VO2max, and total test duration (all p < 0.05) in all the training groups; also, clinical improvements were found in hand grip strength. These positive effects were not influenced by the regular intake of beer or alcohol. No changes in the vertical jumps occurred in any of the groups.ConclusionsA moderate beer or alcohol intake does not mitigate the positive effect of a 10-week HIIT on physical fitness in young healthy adults.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03660579. Registered 20 September 2018. Retrospectively registered.
Highlights
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective approach to improve physical fitness, but consuming beer, which is a regular practice in many physically active individuals, may interfere with these effects
Physical fitness integrates several components [1], such as cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength, which are widely recognized as powerful markers of sport performance, health-related outcomes and relevant determinants of current and future health status as well as important predictors of all-cause mortality [1, 3, 4]
Emerging evidence suggests that highintensity interval training (HIIT), which involves repeated bouts (< 45 s) of intense exercise (85–95% maximal heart rate) interspersed with periods of rest or lower-intensity active recovery, is an effective strategy to get important improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness [5,6,7,8,9] and muscular strength [5,6,7,8,9,10]
Summary
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective approach to improve physical fitness, but consuming beer, which is a regular practice in many physically active individuals, may interfere with these effects. Participants in the training groups chose whether they preferred receiving alcohol or alcohol-free beverages Those choosing alcohol were randomized to either beer or ethanol intake: (i) T-Beer group (alcohol beer, 5.4%; n = 13) or (ii) T-Ethanol (sparkling water with vodka, 5.4%; n = 14). Optimal resting and adequate nutrition are crucial to allow the recovery of energy reserves, and the removal, regeneration, repair and protection of damaged or worn structures [13, 14] This brings the functional structures to a state of adaptation with supercompensation, such as an increased skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, increased resting glycogen content, a reduced rate of glycogen utilization and lactate production, or increased capacity for whole-body and skeletal muscle lipid oxidation, among others. These adaptations improve exercise performance, promote health as well as well-being [15,16,17,18] and represent the physiological basis of the multiple and positive benefits of moderate-to-vigorous exercise training [7]
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