The effect of two-week high intensity interval training (HIIT) with Thyme supplementation on lipid profile, oxidative stress, body composition, and aerobic capacity of the obese and overweight women

  Obesity is regarded as a complex disease which is associated with a disorder in fat metabolism and causes oxidative stress. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of two-week High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with thyme supplementation on lipid indices, oxidative stress, body composition, and aerobic capacity of the obese and overweight women.

In a semi-experimental study, 40 obese and overweight women, with a BMI≥25, body fat (38.92±3.80 %) and an average age (32.87±3.32 years), based on the fat percentage and BMI, were randomly divided into the four HIIT (five sessions per week), thyme supplement, exercise + supplement, and control groups. Thyme supplementation was in the form of an infusion (2 grams mixed with 150 ml of boiling water), which was consumed two times (two hours before and immediately after training). Body composition indices and blood samples were taken 24 hours before and after two-week HIIT exercises in order to evaluate and analyze LDL, HDL, MDA, and TAC indices. Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni’s Post Hoc Test were used for data analysis at a significance level of P≤0.05.

The findings indicated that there is a significant difference between the groups in HDL, MDA, TAC, and V̇O2max values (P<0.05). The difference was observed in V̇O2max and MDA between the exercise and exercise + supplemented control, as well as the supplement groups. The TAC of the thyme supplement and exercise + supplement consuming groups was higher in proportion to the other two groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the research groups in LDL and the body fat percentage variables (P>0.05).

It seems that consuming thyme tea for two weeks along with HIIT exercises improves the oxidative stress and some lipid profiles and can be apparently effective in improving the complications caused by obesity.