Vigorous Activity A Tool for Longevity

Hippocrates was the first physician on record to write a prescription for exercise for a suffering patient. Indian physician, Susruta, in 750 BC, as well as Galen a Greek physician in 200 AD, were also two of the earliest physicians recorded to prescribe exercise for patients. In 1968, Russian medical doctor, Peter Karpovich, wrote: “…there is growing evidence on the preventive value of exercise, and it is possible that, in the not too distance future, physical education will become a part of medicine.”

Now, 58 years later, exercise is medicine.

Different kinds of exercise award you with different health benefits. The most commonly cited barrier to performing regular exercise is lack of time. Would you believe me if I said you could reap health benefits and see fitness gains from just 15 minutes of exercise per week? Don’t let the minutes fool you! Just 15-20 minutes of vigorous exercise per week has been associated with decreases in cardiovascular disease, cancer incidence and mortality.

HIIT

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of exercise that involves quick 30-60 second bursts of vigorous exercise at 80-100% your capacity followed by active rest, followed by repeating for several cycles. It is time efficient and a convenient option to reduce time spent exercising while still benefiting your health and fitness. Research shows HIIT can produce superior health benefits in comparison to traditional endurance-based training.

HIIT for Weight Loss

HIIT is effective for fat loss and may be considered to help reach your weight loss goals.

• 62 obese and overweight subjects who performed HIIT with strength training 2-3 times per week over 9 months experienced significant improvements in overall body fat, waist circumference measurements and markers of cardiometabolic risk
• Several studies show individuals who performed HIIT demonstrated more subcutaneous fat loss, abdominal fat loss and reduced waist circumference compared to traditional steady state exercise
• 12 weeks of HIIT among obese, sedentary women resulted in improved aerobic capacity and body composition in half the amount of time as a traditional continuous exercise group
• 12 weeks of HIIT among obese, sedentary men resulted in improved body composition and aerobic capacity

Exercise and Hormones

Hormones are affected by all types of exercise and balance is key to optimal health. HIIT may have a positive effect on testosterone levels compared to traditional training. Research is early and mostly on males. HIIT may have a positive effect on growth hormone levels though studies are limited and conflicting.

• 17 males who performed HIIT over 6 weeks had an increase in free testosterone levels
• HIIT stimulated free testosterone more significantly than steady endurance exercise
• Total testosterone was significantly increased following HIIT. Free testosterone was significantly higher following HIIT and was unaffected by traditional conditioning in sedentary older males
• HIIT raised free testosterone levels to a greater extent than steady endurance training exercise
• HIIT resulted in a 143% increase in estrogen levels and a 62% reduction in testosterone levels in young women
• HIIT led to a 2000% increase in growth hormone
• There were no alterations found in growth hormone levels after 4 weeks of HIIT in a more recent study

The Benefits Continue Even After Your Exercise Is Complete

HIIT can produce quick results. After just six sessions of HIIT over two weeks in untrained males, improvements were seen in respiratory capacity, whole body exercise capacity, skeletal muscle mitochondria and endurance. Seven HIIT sessions over 2 weeks resulted in marked increases in skeletal muscle capacity, whole body composition and fatty acid oxidation (energy production) in females. The benefits continue even after the exercise has been completed.

Excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), refers to a phenomenon that occurs hours after your workout. This means your metabolism is revved up and you continue to burn calories even after your workout is complete. HIIT has been shown to enhance EPOC compared to traditional steady state exercise. In obese, pre-menopausal women, HIIT improved body composition and led to an increased metabolic rate for up to 24 hours after HIIT. This was not observed following traditional steady state exercise.

Exercise and Cardiometabolic Health 

A recent systematic review of randomized controlled trials concluded HIIT is safe and appears to be more effective than moderate-intensity continuous training for improving cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with cardiovascular disease. The largest improvement was demonstrated when performing 3 sessions per week for more than 12 weeks.

Mitochondria are our powerhouses and allow us to be fueled with energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction is at the root of many diseases, illness and age-related decline. It is believed to play a role in cardiovascular disease, heart failure and hypertension. HIIT has been shown to trigger mitochondrial biogenesis and force mitochondrial adaptation.

Studies show improvements in cardiometabolic health:

• Sedentary men performing HIIT for 12 weeks demonstrated improved cardiometabolic health to the same extent as traditional training despite a five-fold lower exercise volume and time commitment
• Cardiac ejection fraction and aerobic fitness improved by 11%, and insulin resistance decreased by 26% after HIIT which was not observed from moderate continuous training
• HIIT has been shown to be more effective in preventing and controlling high blood pressure than traditional exercise
• Studies show improvements between 23-58% in insulin sensitivity. This effect has been reported to be even more significant in individuals with type 2 diabetes, with improvements between 46-58%. After just two weeks of HIIT, there was sustained insulin response until three days after the last HIIT session

A Tool for Longevity

Current exercise guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. A recently published study suggests a dose of vigorous activity, well less than the current recommendation, produces greater results and increased longevity.

This study concluded:

• Vigorous physical activity for 15-20 minutes per week was associated with 16-40% lower mortality
• Short bursts of vigorous activity lasting up to 2 minutes on average 4 times per day was associated with 27% lower mortality risk
• 15 minutes per week was associated with a 16% to 18% lower all-cause and cancer mortality
• 19.2 minutes per week was associated with 40% lower CVD mortality

Zach Bush 4 Minute Workout

A form of HIIT, also known as the Nitric Oxide Dump, is the Zach Bush 4-minute workout. The basis of this exercise is to increase your body’s nitric oxide (NO) production, the key to healthy blood flow. NO is stored in the lining of blood vessels and released when needed, which is why NO is important for cardiovascular health. NO levels decrease with age and this short workout can aid in longevity without the need for any equipment.

The 4-minute workout can be watched here and is summarized here:

Conclusion

It’s easier to find times to exercise when the exercise time is short. It is hard to honestly say you don’t have 3-10 minutes a day to exercise. Start the New Year with HIIT or Zach Bush, MD, exercise today and feel its terrific benefits!

Have an awesome day! Dr D