The effect of high-intensity interval training on changes in antioxidant enzymes of liver tissue in male rats fed with high-fat diet

Consuming high-fat diet causes obesity and can play a role in increasing free radicals and reducing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Imbalance between free radicals production and antioxidant defense may lead to liver tissue damage. This study evaluates the effects high intensity interval training (HIIT) on alteration of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in rats fed with high-fat diet.

In this experimental study, 21 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control fed with normal diet (n=7), control fed with high-fat diet (n=7), and fed with high-fat diet+ HIIT (n=7). The animals of all three groups were fed with their own diet for 23 weeks. The training group while receiving a high-fat diet, in the final 8 weeks performed the HIIT protocol three times a week. At the end of the intervention, SOD and GPX enzymes in liver tissue were assessed by enzyme colorimetric method.

The results showed that liver GPX enzyme levels in the fed with high-fat diet+ HIIT group increased significantly compared to the control fed with normal diet (P=0.003) and control fed with high-fat diet (P=0.001), but hepatic SOD enzyme levels did not change significantly in the three groups (P=0.153).

The findings of this study imply that, HIIT presents an antioxidant stress effect on liver tissue in the rats fed with high-fat diet.