High-intensity exercise: an efficient approach to improve several health and performance indicators
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN17120788 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17120788 |
| ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT) | Nil known |
| Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) | Nil known |
| Protocol serial number | Nil known |
| Sponsor | Université de Moncton |
| Funder | Université de Moncton |
- Submission date
- 07/04/2020
- Registration date
- 01/05/2020
- Last edited
- 14/06/2023
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Today, physical activity levels remain low, with a lack of time often cited as the key barrier to participation. As such, interest has grown in time-efficient exercise strategies, which reduce the exercise duration required to provide health benefits. Recently, our laboratory demonstrated that very brief high-intensity exercise in the form of sprinting, which typically comprised 6 to 10 s sprints, is very brief, motivating and tolerable for subjects and seem able to improve many health and performance parameters. This intervention has been tested in adolescents and now we are interested to evaluate its effects in sedentary adults and older individuals of both genders.
Who can participate?
Sedentary adults and older individuals
What does the study involve?
Body mass, height, waist and hip circumferences, body mass index and body fat percentage are measured. On day 1, after a 12-hour overnight fast participants undergo breathing tests and blood tests at rest and during and at the end of exercise. On day 2, following 10 minutes of warm-up, the participants undergo an exercise bike test. They are then instructed to complete a total of 18 cycling training sessions (three sessions per week for 6 weeks) after which the tests are repeated.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants will benefit from being informed about their health and fitness level and could also take advantage of intervention to enhance many of their fitness and health parameters. There are no direct risks to participants taking part in this study.
Where is the study run from?
University of Moncton (Canada)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2014 to June 2017
Who is funding the study?
University of Moncton (Canada)
Who is the main contact?
1. Prof. Georges Jabbour
gjabbour@qu.edu.qa
2. Prof. Horia-Daniel Iancu
horia-daniel.iancu@umoncton.ca
Contact information
Scientific
Qatar University
Doha
2713
Qatar
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-4758-8772 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +974 (0)30468222 |
| gjabbour@qu.edu.qa |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Single-center non-randomised study |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Effect of supra-maximal exercise training (SET) on performance and health parameters in adults and older individuals of both genders |
| Study acronym | SET |
| Study objectives | Because of its form, high exercise stimulus and time-efficient, it is thought that SET will confer several health and performance benefits among individuals with or at high risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approved 27/06/2015, by the Human Research Ethics Committee (UHRC) of the University of Moncton (Comite Ethique de la Recherche avec les Etres Humains, /FESR/Université de Moncton, 18, Avenue Antonine-Maillet, Moncton (NB), E1A3E9, Canada; +1 (0)5068584310; fesr@umoncton.ca), ref: 1415-071 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Sedentary individuals |
| Intervention | The study was carried out in compliance with the principles laid down in the Helsinki Declaration. One hundred one individuals (women and men; students and employers) were recruited from the Moncton campus of the Université de Moncton. The study was approved by the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (UHRC), and the participants were asked to sign a full consent form prior to beginning the study. The participants had to be sedentary (participating in <1 hour/week of structured exercise, as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire) with no history of cardiovascular or chronic health problems, drug consumption, or smoking before the beginning of the study. To reduce and control the potential effect of ovarian hormones on substrate metabolism in women, the researchers controlled for the phase within the menstrual cycle (follicular phase) and the oral contraceptives. Before entering the protocol, each of the participants was familiarized with all testing equipment and procedures. Additionally, each participant was asked to determine the height of the seat at which they are able to pedal comfortably. The protocol then began with two sessions of preliminary testing after an overnight fast to determine certain key variables. Anthropometric measurements Body mass was measured to the nearest 0.1 kg using an electronic scale with the subject in light clothing and without shoes (Kern, MFB 150K100). Height was determined to the nearest 0.5 cm with a measuring tape affixed to the wall. Waist and hip circumferences were measured to the nearest 0.1 cm. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as the ratio of mass (kg) to height2 (m2). Body fat percentage was estimated using electrical bioimpedance (Vacumed, Bodystat1500). Physiology testing On day one (D1), subjects arrived at the laboratory after a 12-hour overnight fast. They lay in a supine position for 10 minutes before continuous measurement of pulmonary gas exchange using a breath-by-breath automated metabolic system (CPX, Medical Graphics, St. Paul, Minnesota). This test was used to determine several main outcomes (VO2max, VO2 submaximal, SBP, DBP, lipid oxydation, mechanical efficiency, energy expenditure, heart rate variability). At day 1, venous blood samples from an antecubital vein were drawn at rest and during and at the end of graded maximal exercise. At extraction, the blood was collected in a vacutainer tube containing Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA). Plasma from the venous blood samples was separated by centrifugation at 3000 g for 20 min (4о C) (ORTO ALRESA mod. Digicen.R, Spain). Aliquots were immediately frozen and stored at -80оC for use in subsequent chemical and hormonal analyses. On day 2, following 10 min of warm-up, the subjects performed a force-velocity test on a cycle ergometer using a technique adapted from the study performed by Vandewalle et al. [1988]. This test consisted of a succession of supramaximal bouts of approximately six seconds, with exercise loads increasing by 1 kg after each bout until the subject was unable to perform the test. A period of passive recovery (5 minutes) was allowed between successive bouts. The peak velocity for each bout was recorded, and the power output was calculated by multiplying the load and speed. The optimal load corresponded to the load at which maximal power (POmax) was achieved. This load was then used for the training protocol that followed. The force-velocity test was also performed every 2 weeks to adjust the individual power level of SET. Training sessions Once the participants completed preliminary testing, they were instructed to complete a total of 18 training sessions (three sessions per week for six weeks). Each of the prescribed sessions began with a 5-minute warm-up of continuous cycling at moderate intensity followed by 6 repetitions of SET intervals with 2 minutes of passive recovery between each repetition. Each SET repetition lasted six seconds, and the participants were asked to pedal at maximal velocity against the resistance determined during D2. The total duration of each session was approximately 15 minutes. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Measured at baseline and at post-intervention: |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Measured at baseline and at post-intervention: |
| Completion date | 21/06/2017 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Mixed |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 100 |
| Total final enrolment | 37 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Sedentary and healthy 2. Adults and senior |
| Key exclusion criteria | No history of cardiovascular or chronic health problems, drug consumption, or smoking before the beginning of the study |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/02/2013 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/12/2016 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Canada
Study participating centre
Faculty of Health Sciences and Community Services
Moncton
E1A 3E9
Canada
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Prof. Georges Jabbour (gjabbour@qu.edu.qa). |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 30/03/2021 | 14/06/2023 | Yes | No | |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
14/06/2023: Publication reference and total final enrolment added.
30/04/2020: Trial's existence confirmed by Human Research Ethics Committee (UHRC) of the University of Moncton.
