HIIT protects against heart attacks.

According to a study conducted on rats by scientists at Shiraz University in Iran, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protects the heart from low blood flow by increasing nitric oxide production in the heart arteries. One group of animals performed HIIT training for 8 weeks, while the other group performed no training. The HIIT group performed seven intervals for seven minutes at 80 to 100 percent of maximum effort with 3 minutes rest between intervals.

HIIT increased nitric oxide (NO) levels by 150 percent. Nitric oxide is an important chemical secreted by the inner lining of blood vessels that controls blood flow. The animals were exposed to reduced blood flow to the heart to simulate a heart attack. The trained animals suffered substantially less damage to the heart.

Intense interval training protects the heart from reduced blood flow by increasing nitric oxide levels in the coronary arteries.

In addition to intensive interval training, exercisers should always provide the body with sufficient vitamins and minerals.

(Iran Journal Public Health, 44: 1270 . 1276, 2015)