The Physiological Impacts of the Low‐ and Moderate‐Volume‐HIIT with or without Nano‐Curcumin Supplement in Women in Menopause with Obesity

Tabata exercise has been proposed as an extremely time‐efficient high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) method to achieve health benefits, but direct comparisons between the low‐volume‐HIIT (LV‐HIIT), moderate‐volume‐HIIT (MV‐HIIT) with and without nano‐curcumin (NaC) supplement for 8‐week on cardiovascular hemodynamic, respiratory function, muscular fitness, and physical performance in the obese menopause women are limited. In a double blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study, 53, moderately obese menopause women (average age 45–60 yrs, BMI > 30 kg/m 2 , WC for >85 cm, and body fat > 35%) were randomly assigned to undertake either LV‐HIIT, MV‐HIIT, or NaC supplement (daily 80 mg in two 40‐mg capsules) for two sessions per week for 8 weeks. The maximal exercise testing after 8‐week of the LV‐HIIT and MV‐HIIT interventions caused significantly increase in the VO2max (mean difference: 6.83 (95% CI: 25.58–43.51), p = 0.01, mean difference: 5.31 (95% CI: 23.98–39.02), p = 0.028), and oxygen pulse (mean difference: 0.02 (95% CI: 0.16–0.19), p = 0.04, mean difference: 0.04 (95% CI: 0.17–0.21), p = 0.02), respectively. Moreover, MV‐HIIT with and without NaC had significant improve in muscular fitness and physical performance (hand grip in MV + NaC (mean difference: 3.8 (95% CI: 21.46–31.81), p = 0.02), quadriceps strength in MV (mean difference: 14.58 (95% CI: 52.75–69.82), p = 0.01), MQI (mean difference: 31.23 (95% CI: 112.67–197.15), p = 0.02, mean difference: 31.52 (95% CI: 159.13–184.07), p = 0.01), sit to stand test (mean difference: 1.84 (95% CI: 6.60–8.41), p = 0.02, mean difference: 1.78 (95% CI: 6.69–9.03), p = 0.01), and the running distance (mean difference: 96.95 (95% CI: 470.05–637.42), p = 0.02, mean difference: 114.53 (95% CI: 458–641.87), p = 0.02)), when compared to baseline. In compared with the LV‐HIIT groups, the MV‐HIIT could improve FVC (mean difference: 0.12 (95% CI: 2.21–3.26)). Our data demonstrated that both the LV‐HIIT and MV‐HIIT, as part of activities of daily living, maybe a time‐efficient strategy to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and physical performance. Beyond the purported health benefits, the MV‐HIIT with and without NaC supplement appears to be safe approach in the previously sedentary obese menopause women.