Short-Term High- and Moderate-Intensity Training Modifies Inflammatory and Metabolic Factors in Response to Acute Exercise

To compare the acute and chronic effects of high intensity intermittent training (HIIT) and steady state training (SST) on the metabolic profile and inflammatory response in physically active men. Thirty recreationally active men were randomly allocated to a control group ( = 10), HIIT group ( = 10), or SST group ( = 10). For 5 weeks, three times per week, subjects performed HIIT (5 km 1-min at 100% of maximal aerobic speed interspersed by 1-min passive recovery) or SST (5 km at 70% of maximal aerobic speed) while the control group did not perform training. Blood samples were collected at fasting (~12 h), pre-exercise, immediately post, and 60 min post-acute exercise session (pre- and post-5 weeks training). Blood samples were analyzed for glucose, non-ester fatty acid (NEFA), and cytokine (IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α) levels through a three-way analysis (group, period, and moment of measurement) with repeated measures in the second and third factors. The results showed an effect of moment of measurement (acute session) with greater values to TNF-α and glucose immediately post the exercise when compared to pre exercise session, independently of group or training period. For IL-6 there was an interaction effect for group and moment of measurement (acute session) the increase occurred immediately post-exercise session and post-60 min in the HIIT group while in the SST the increase was observed only 60 min post, independently of training period. For IL-10, there was an interaction for training period (pre- and post-training) and moment of measurement (acute session), in which in pre-training, pre-exercise values were lower than immediately and 60 min post-exercise, in post-training period pre-exercise values were lower than immediately post-exercise and immediately post-exercise lower than 60 min post, it was also observed that values immediately post-exercise were lower pre- than post-training, being all results independently of intensity (group). Our main result point to an interaction (acute and chronic) for IL-10 showing attenuation post-training period independent of exercise intensity.