Synergistic Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Asparagus officinalis L. Root Extract Supplementation on Metabolic Regulation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Overweight and Obese Adults.

HIIT alone produced significant improvements in lipid profiles and blood glucose compared to control.

• The HIIT group showed significant reductions in total cholesterol (TC), the TC/HDLC ratio, and blood glucose levels compared with the CON group (all p < 0.05).
• The HIIT group also showed significant increases in HDL cholesterol (HDLC) compared with CON (p < 0.05).
• The HIIT protocol was a modified Tabata regimen at 80-90% and 40-50% of maximal perceived exertion, performed three times per week for 12 weeks.
• The HIIT group also showed a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (p < 0.05).

The combined HIIT plus asparagus root extract (COM) group demonstrated significant improvements in oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid ratio.

• The COM group demonstrated significant decreases in protein carbonyls and interleukin-6 levels compared with CON (all p < 0.05).
• The COM group showed a significant decrease in the TC/HDLC ratio (p < 0.05).
• The COM group showed a significant increase in SOD activity (p = 0.002).
• These reductions in protein carbonyls and IL-6 were not observed in the HIIT-only group, suggesting a synergistic effect of the combined intervention.

Asparagus root extract supplementation alone increased both SOD activity and malondialdehyde levels.

• The ARE group exhibited a significant increase in SOD activity (p < 0.001) compared with CON.
• The ARE group also showed a significant increase in malondialdehyde levels (p = 0.017), indicating a paradoxical increase in lipid peroxidation.
• Participants in the ARE and COM groups received a daily oral dose of ARE providing 1.71 ± 0.24 mg/kg/day of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E).
• The ARE group did not show significant improvements in metabolic parameters such as TC, HDLC, or blood glucose compared with CON.

The study enrolled 72 overweight and obese young adults randomly assigned to four intervention groups.

• Seventy-two participants aged 18-30 years with a body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2 were included.
• Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control (CON), ARE supplementation only (ARE), HIIT only (HIIT), and combined intervention (COM).
• The intervention duration was 12 weeks.
• The study was a randomized controlled trial design.

Excess adiposity is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation contributing to metabolic dysregulation, motivating the investigation of exercise and plant-derived compounds as therapeutic strategies.

• Asparagus officinalis root extract is rich in ecdysteroids such as 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), which exhibits potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
• Both exercise training and bioactive plant-derived compounds have been explored as therapeutic strategies to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation.
• The study measured metabolic parameters, oxidative stress markers (SOD activity, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls), inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-6), and white blood cell counts.

Combining HIIT with ARE supplementation produced synergistic effects on oxidative stress and inflammation beyond what either intervention achieved alone.

• Reductions in protein carbonyls and IL-6 were observed only in the COM group, not in the HIIT-only or ARE-only groups.
• The COM group showed SOD increase (p = 0.002), while ARE alone showed a larger SOD increase (p < 0.001) but also an undesirable increase in malondialdehyde (p = 0.017).
• HIIT alone primarily improved metabolic regulation (TC, HDLC, TC/HDLC ratio, blood glucose) without significant reductions in protein carbonyls or IL-6.
• The authors concluded that combining HIIT with ARE supplementation produces synergistic improvements in oxidative and inflammatory status.