The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on telomere length, telomerase, and telomere related factors of Leukocytes in Sedentary Young Women

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of eight-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on telomere length and telomere factors of leukocytes in sedentary young women. A total of 21 students voluntarily participated in this study. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=11, age=23.25±2.01 years, height=163.32±5.44 cm, and weight=62.2±7.56 kg) and the control group (n=10, age=24.42±1.32 years, height=165.00±4.88 cm, and weight=66.6±6.30 kg). The experimental group performed three sessions of HIIT a week for eight weeks. Every session included three-six runs with maximum speed in a 20-metre area with 30 seconds of rest between each run. The fasting blood samples were collected immediately before and after the exercise protocol. The telomere length was measured using Real Time PCR method. The data were analysed using independent and paired t-tests. The results showed that leukocyte telomere length (T/S ratio) (p=.04) and telomerase activity (p=.04) in the experimental group increased significantly. Moreover, the body fat percentage, BMI, and weight of the experimental group decreased significantly. The results of this study showed that HIIT increases the leukocyte telomere length in sedentary young women, making it an efficient and appropriate method of exercise.