Cardiovascular response of postmenopausal women to 8 weeks of sprint interval training

Menopause is accompanied by decreased aerobic fitness and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a time-efficient intervention for improving cardiovascular function and aerobic fitness of young adults.

To determine the effect of an 8-week SIT program on the cardiovascular function and aerobic fitness of overweight postmenopausal women.

Thirty overweight postmenopausal women were randomized into exercise (n = 15) or control (n = 15) groups. The intervention group completed three SIT sessions a week for 8 weeks. Each session consisted of 20 min of 8-s sprints and 12 s of light pedalling. Participants also completed 8 min of light aerobic cycle exercise, before and after the SIT intervention. Cardiovascular function including heart rate, stroke volume (SV), and diastolic filling time (DFT) was assessed before and after the intervention and during 8 min of light aerobic exercise. Estimated maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) was also assessed.

Resting SV was increased (p = 0.001) from pre- (77.5 ± 17.0 mL) to post-SIT (81.3 ± 17.0 mL), whereas SV during 8 min of light aerobic exercise was increased (p = 0.000), from pre- (97.8 ± 1.6 mL) to post-test (103.5 ± 17.8 mL). Resting DFT was increased, (p = 0.010), at pre- (333.4 ± 94.4 mL) to post-SIT (357.4 ± 88.2 mL), whereas DFT during 8 min of aerobic exercise was increased, (p = 0.000), from pre- (480.1 ± 99.5 mL) to posttest (527.2 ± 123.0 mL). Predicted [Formula: see text] was increased, (p = 0.016), from pre- (19.5 ± 5.87 mL kg^-1 min^-1) to post-SIT (21.4 ± 7.02 mL kg^-1 min^-1).

SIT improved cardiovascular function and aerobic fitness of overweight postmenopausal women after 8 weeks of exercise.