(NaturalHealth365)  Recent scientific findings suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has the potential to reshape the metabolism of the human body.  The findings provide a new look at the impact of HIIT on the body’s skeletal muscle.

Let’s take a closer look at the study’s importance and why it paves the way for additional studies to build upon the ever-expanding scientific knowledge base.

HIIT boosts energy metabolism, improves heart health

If you have never tried high-intensity interval training, you may not know that HIIT workouts typically consist of short bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest, also referred to as lower-intensity exercise.  It turns out that exercising in this manner offers multiple benefits.  One of the most well-known benefits is the improvement of heart health.  But that’s not all.

The study referenced above reveals HIIT heightens the level of proteins within skeletal muscle necessary for the metabolism of energy as well as muscle contraction.  It also catalyzes proteins within the skeletal muscle that chemically change essential metabolism proteins.  These results set the stage for subsequent similar studies that will further analyze how exercise affects biological processes.

Working out only three days a week yields measurable results

Let’s take a quick look at the details of the study to provide additional context.  Scientists recruited eight men and subjected them to slightly more than a month of HIIT workouts.  Participants trained three times each week, completing four minutes of bike riding with a target rate in excess of 90% of the max heart rate with a rest mixed in between sessions.  The cycle was repeated five times for each workout.

During the study period, scientists analyzed participants’ protein composition with a technique referred to as mass spectrometry.  The analysis revealed a hike in the generation of proteins used for the construction of mitochondria that generate energy within cells and proteins for muscle contractions.

HIIT may help prevent metabolic diseases

As is often said, exercise is the best medicine.  Exercise appears to be especially beneficial in preventing metabolic diseases from arising.  The manner in which skeletal muscles use energy changes when an individual performs HIIT training.

The chemical process of acetylation is central to the impact of HIIT on metabolism.  Scientists sought additional information on muscle protein content and the regulation of proteins, ultimately narrowing in on the acetylation chemical reaction.  Acetylation occurs when a component of a group of molecules joins with another molecule, ultimately changing how proteins act.

Here is how to get started with adding HIIT to your exercise routine

HIIT is appealing to so many avid fans because you can go all out for brief bursts, fully knowing a short rest period is right around the corner.  The repetition of high-intensity workouts with periods of rest is beneficial to the body and the psyche.

Even if you don’t belong to a gym, you can complete your own HIIT workouts at home with a treadmill, elliptical machine, stairs, jump rope, or simply jogging in place.  Go hard for one to five minutes, follow up that burst of intensity with a brief rest period, and get right back into the action with another burst.

Continue to alternate between activity and rest, and your stamina and fitness level will gradually improve as time progresses.  After just a few weeks, you will notice a big improvement in your overall strength, endurance and overall feeling of wellness.

Sources for this article include:

ScienceDaily.com
Vox.com