Effects of sprint interval training on VO2max and aerobic exercise performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
01 Dec 2013-Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports (Scand J Med Sci Sports)-Vol. 23, Iss: 6
TL;DR: Strong evidence support improvement of aerobic exercise performance and VO2max following SIT, which coincides with peripheral muscular adaptations, and future RCTs on long‐term SIT and underlying mechanisms are warranted.
Abstract: Recently, several studies have examined whether low-volume sprint interval training (SIT) may improve aerobic and metabolic function. The objective of this study was to systematically review the existing literature regarding the aerobic and metabolic effects of SIT in healthy sedentary or recreationally active adults. A systematic literature search was performed (Bibliotek.dk, SPORTDiscus, Embase, PEDro, SveMed+, and Pubmed). Meta-analytical procedures were applied evaluating effects on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Nineteen unique studies [four randomized controlled trials (RCTs), nine matched-controlled trials and six noncontrolled studies] were identified, evaluating SIT interventions lasting 2-8 weeks. Strong evidence support improvements of aerobic exercise performance and VO2max following SIT. A meta-analysis across 13 studies evaluating effects of SIT on VO2max showed a weighted mean effects size of g = 0.63 95% CI (0.39; 0.87) and VO2max increases of 4.2-13.4%. Solid evidence support peripheral adaptations known to increase the oxidative potential of the muscle following SIT, whereas evidence regarding central adaptations was limited and equivocal. Some evidence indicated changes in substrate oxidation at rest and during exercise as well as improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity following SIT. In conclusion, strong evidence support improvement of aerobic exercise performance and VO2max following SIT, which coincides with peripheral muscular adaptations. Future RCTs on long-term SIT and underlying mechanisms are warranted.
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TL;DR: The meta-analysed effect of endurance training on VO2max was a possibly large beneficial effect and a likely moderate greater additional increase for subjects with lower baseline fitness, when compared with no-exercise controls.
Abstract: Enhancing cardiovascular fitness can lead to substantial health benefits. High-intensity interval training (HIT) is an efficient way to develop cardiovascular fitness, yet comparisons between this type of training and traditional endurance training are equivocal. Our objective was to meta-analyse the effects of endurance training and HIT on the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) of healthy, young to middle-aged adults. Six electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, CINAHL and Google Scholar) for original research articles. A search was conducted and search terms included ‘high intensity’, ‘HIT’, ‘sprint interval training’, ‘endurance training’, ‘peak oxygen uptake’, and ‘VO2max’. Inclusion criteria were controlled trials, healthy adults aged 18–45 years, training duration ≥2 weeks, VO2max assessed pre- and post-training. Twenty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. This resulted in 723 participants with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) age and initial fitness of 25.1 ± 5 years and 40.8 ± 7.9 mL·kg−1·min−1, respectively. We made probabilistic magnitude-based inferences for meta-analysed effects based on standardised thresholds for small, moderate and large changes (0.2, 0.6 and 1.2, respectively) derived from between-subject SDs for baseline VO2max. The meta-analysed effect of endurance training on VO2max was a possibly large beneficial effect (4.9 mL·kg−1·min−1; 95 % confidence limits ±1.4 mL·kg−1·min−1), when compared with no-exercise controls. A possibly moderate additional increase was observed for typically younger subjects (2.4 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±2.1 mL·kg−1·min−1) and interventions of longer duration (2.2 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±3.0 mL·kg−1·min−1), and a small additional improvement for subjects with lower baseline fitness (1.4 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±2.0 mL·kg−1·min−1). When compared with no-exercise controls, there was likely a large beneficial effect of HIT (5.5 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.2 mL·kg−1·min−1), with a likely moderate greater additional increase for subjects with lower baseline fitness (3.2 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.9 mL·kg−1·min−1) and interventions of longer duration (3.0 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.9 mL·kg−1·min−1), and a small lesser effect for typically longer HIT repetitions (−1.8 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±2.7 mL·kg−1·min−1). The modifying effects of age (0.8 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±2.1 mL·kg−1·min−1) and work/rest ratio (0.5 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.6 mL·kg−1·min−1) were unclear. When compared with endurance training, there was a possibly small beneficial effect for HIT (1.2 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±0.9 mL·kg−1·min−1) with small additional improvements for typically longer HIT repetitions (2.2 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±2.1 mL·kg−1·min−1), older subjects (1.8 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.7 mL·kg−1·min−1), interventions of longer duration (1.7 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.7 mL·kg−1·min−1), greater work/rest ratio (1.6 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.5 mL·kg−1·min−1) and lower baseline fitness (0.8 mL·kg−1·min−1; ±1.3 mL·kg−1·min−1). Endurance training and HIT both elicit large improvements in the VO2max of healthy, young to middle-aged adults, with the gains in VO2max being greater following HIT when compared with endurance training.
586 citations
Cites background from "Effects of sprint interval training..."
...[20], only addressed the effect of SIT on VO2max....
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...69) of sprint interval training (SIT)— classified as a form of HIT at the highest end of the intensity spectrum [20]—on VO2max in comparison with no-exercise control groups; yet a trivial effect (0....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the role of exercise intensity in mediating physiological adaptations to training, with a focus on the capacity for aerobic energy metabolism, has been investigated, with limited work suggesting that increases in mitochondrial content are superior after high-intensity interval training compared to moderate-intensity continuous training.
Abstract: Interval exercise typically involves repeated bouts of relatively intense exercise interspersed by short periods of recovery. A common classification scheme subdivides this method into high-intensity interval training (HIIT; 'near maximal' efforts) and sprint interval training (SIT; 'supramaximal' efforts). Both forms of interval training induce the classic physiological adaptations characteristic of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) such as increased aerobic capacity (VO2 max ) and mitochondrial content. This brief review considers the role of exercise intensity in mediating physiological adaptations to training, with a focus on the capacity for aerobic energy metabolism. With respect to skeletal muscle adaptations, cellular stress and the resultant metabolic signals for mitochondrial biogenesis depend largely on exercise intensity, with limited work suggesting that increases in mitochondrial content are superior after HIIT compared to MICT, at least when matched-work comparisons are made within the same individual. It is well established that SIT increases mitochondrial content to a similar extent to MICT despite a reduced exercise volume. At the whole-body level, VO2 max is generally increased more by HIIT than MICT for a given training volume, whereas SIT and MICT similarly improve VO2 max despite differences in training volume. There is less evidence available regarding the role of exercise intensity in mediating changes in skeletal muscle capillary density, maximum stroke volume and cardiac output, and blood volume. Furthermore, the interactions between intensity and duration and frequency have not been thoroughly explored. While interval training is clearly a potent stimulus for physiological remodelling in humans, the integrative response to this type of exercise warrants further attention, especially in comparison to traditional endurance training.
560 citations
TL;DR: Current evidence suggests that ST-HIIT and LT- HIIT can increase VO2 max and improve some cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight/obese populations, and indicates that HIIT demonstrated no effect on insulin, lipid profile, C reactive protein or interleukin 6 in obese populations.
Abstract: The current review clarifies the cardiometabolic health effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in adults. A systematic search (PubMed) examining HIIT and cardiometabolic health markers was completed on 15 October 2015. Sixty-five intervention studies were included for review and the methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Downs and Black score. Studies were classified by intervention duration and body mass index classification. Outcomes with at least 5 effect sizes were synthesised using a random-effects meta-analysis of the standardised mean difference (SMD) in cardiometabolic health markers (baseline to postintervention) using Review Manager 5.3. Short-term (ST) HIIT (<12 weeks) significantly improved maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max; SMD 0.74, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.12; p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP; SMD −0.52, 95% CI −0.89 to −0.16; p<0.01) and fasting glucose (SMD −0.35, 95% CI −0.62 to −0.09; p<0.01) in overweight/obese populations. Long-term (LT) HIIT (≥12 weeks) significantly improved waist circumference (SMD −0.20, 95% CI −0.38 to −0.01; p<0.05), % body fat (SMD −0.40, 95% CI −0.74 to −0.06; p<0.05), VO2 max (SMD 1.20, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.83; p<0.001), resting heart rate (SMD −0.33, 95% CI −0.56 to −0.09; p<0.01), systolic blood pressure (SMD −0.35, 95% CI −0.60 to −0.09; p<0.01) and DBP (SMD −0.38, 95% CI −0.65 to −0.10; p<0.01) in overweight/obese populations. HIIT demonstrated no effect on insulin, lipid profile, C reactive protein or interleukin 6 in overweight/obese populations. In normal weight populations, ST-HIIT and LT-HIIT significantly improved VO2 max, but no other significant effects were observed. Current evidence suggests that ST-HIIT and LT-HIIT can increase VO2 max and improve some cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight/obese populations.
491 citations
TL;DR: HIIT appears effective at improving metabolic health, particularly in those at risk of or with type 2 diabetes, particularly during training ≥2 weeks and following continuous training.
Abstract: The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on markers of glucose regulation and insulin resistance compared with control conditions (CON) or continuous training (CT). Databases were searched for HIIT interventions based upon the inclusion criteria: training ≥2 weeks, adult participants and outcome measurements that included insulin resistance, fasting glucose, HbA1c or fasting insulin. Dual interventions and participants with type 1 diabetes were excluded. Fifty studies were included. There was a reduction in insulin resistance following HIIT compared with both CON and CT (HIIT vs. CON: standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.49, confidence intervals [CIs] -0.87 to -0.12, P = 0.009; CT: SMD = -0.35, -0.68 to -0.02, P = 0.036). Compared with CON, HbA1c decreased by 0.19% (-0.36 to -0.03, P = 0.021) and body weight decreased by 1.3 kg (-1.9 to -0.7, P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in other outcomes overall. However, participants at risk of or with type 2 diabetes experienced reductions in fasting glucose (-0.92 mmol L(-1), -1.22 to -0.62, P < 0.001) compared with CON. HIIT appears effective at improving metabolic health, particularly in those at risk of or with type 2 diabetes. Larger randomized controlled trials of longer duration than those included in this meta-analysis are required to confirm these results.
393 citations
TL;DR: The objective of this study is to compare the effects of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate‐intensity continuous training (MICT) for improvements in body composition in overweight and obese adults.
Abstract: SummaryObjective
The objective of this study is to compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for improvements in body composition in overweight and obese adults.
Methods
Trials comparing HIIT and MICT in overweight or obese participants aged 18–45 years were included. Direct measures (e.g. whole-body fat mass) and indirect measures (e.g. waist circumference) were examined.
Results
From 1,334 articles initially screened, 13 were included. Studies averaged 10 weeks × 3 sessions per week training. Both HIIT and MICT elicited significant (p < 0.05) reductions in whole-body fat mass and waist circumference. There were no significant differences between HIIT and MICT for any body composition measure, but HIIT required ~40% less training time commitment. Running training displayed large effects on whole-body fat mass for both HIIT and MICT (standardized mean difference −0.82 and −0.85, respectively), but cycling training did not induce fat loss.
Conclusions
Short-term moderate-intensity to high-intensity exercise training can induce modest body composition improvements in overweight and obese individuals without accompanying body-weight changes. HIIT and MICT show similar effectiveness across all body composition measures suggesting that HIIT may be a time-efficient component of weight management programs.
318 citations
Cites result from "Effects of sprint interval training..."
...Separate meta-analyses specifically focusing on sprint interval training, a lower-volume variant of HIIT, which involves repeated intervals of very high-intensity with a maximum duration of 30 s, also report a moderate-to-large effect on cardiorespiratory fitness in comparison with noexercise healthy control participants (19,20)....
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References
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TL;DR: Methods for the quantification of beta-cell sensitivity to glucose (hyperglycemic clamp technique) and of tissue sensitivity to insulin (euglycemic insulin clamp technique] are described.
Abstract: Methods for the quantification of beta-cell sensitivity to glucose (hyperglycemic clamp technique) and of tissue sensitivity to insulin (euglycemic insulin clamp technique) are described. Hyperglycemic clamp technique. The plasma glucose concentration is acutely raised to 125 mg/dl above basal levels by a priming infusion of glucose. The desired hyperglycemic plateau is subsequently maintained by adjustment of a variable glucose infusion, based on the negative feedback principle. Because the plasma glucose concentration is held constant, the glucose infusion rate is an index of glucose metabolism. Under these conditions of constant hyperglycemia, the plasma insulin response is biphasic with an early burst of insulin release during the first 6 min followed by a gradually progressive increase in plasma insulin concentration. Euglycemic insulin clamp technique. The plasma insulin concentration is acutely raised and maintained at approximately 100 muU/ml by a prime-continuous infusion of insulin. The plasma glucose concentration is held constant at basal levels by a variable glucose infusion using the negative feedback principle. Under these steady-state conditions of euglycemia, the glucose infusion rate equals glucose uptake by all the tissues in the body and is therefore a measure of tissue sensitivity to exogenous insulin.
7,271 citations
"Effects of sprint interval training..." refers methods in this paper
...This observation contrasts a controlled study by Richards et al. (2010) who measured changes in insulin sensitivity using the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique (DeFronzo et al., 1979)....
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...(2010) who measured changes in insulin sensitivity using the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique (DeFronzo et al., 1979)....
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TL;DR: In this article, a systematic literature search was conducted for observational cohort studies using MEDLINE (1966 to December 31, 2008) and EMBASE (1980 to December 30, 2008), which reported associations of baseline cardiorespiratory fitness with CHD events, CVD events, or all-cause mortality in healthy participants.
Abstract: Context Epidemiological studies have indicated an inverse association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and coronary heart disease (CHD) or all-cause mortality in healthy participants. Objective To define quantitative relationships between CRF and CHD events, cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, or all-cause mortality in healthy men and women. Data Sources and Study Selection A systematic literature search was conducted for observational cohort studies using MEDLINE (1966 to December 31, 2008) and EMBASE (1980 to December 31, 2008). The Medical Subject Headings search terms used included exercise tolerance, exercise test, exercise/physiology, physical fitness, oxygen consumption, cardiovascular diseases, myocardial ischemia, mortality, mortalities, death, fatality, fatal, incidence, or morbidity. Studies reporting associations of baseline CRF with CHD events, CVD events, or all-cause mortality in healthy participants were included. Data Extraction Two authors independently extracted relevant data. CRF was estimated as maximal aerobic capacity (MAC) expressed in metabolic equivalent (MET) units. Participants were categorized as low CRF ( Data Synthesis Data were obtained from 33 eligible studies (all-cause mortality, 102 980 participants and 6910 cases; CHD/CVD, 84 323 participants and 4485 cases). Pooled RRs of all-cause mortality and CHD/CVD events per 1-MET higher level of MAC (corresponding to 1-km/h higher running/jogging speed) were 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-0.90) and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.82-0.88), respectively. Compared with participants with high CRF, those with low CRF had an RR for all-cause mortality of 1.70 (95% CI, 1.51-1.92; P Conclusions Better CRF was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and CHD/CVD. Participants with a MAC of 7.9 METs or more had substantially lower rates of all-cause mortality and CHD/CVD events compared with those with a MAC of less 7.9 METs.
2,464 citations
TL;DR: The major metabolic consequences of the adaptations of muscle to endurance exercise are a slower utilization of muscle glycogen and blood glucose, a greater reliance on fat oxidation, and less lactate production during exercise of a given intensity.
Abstract: Regularly performed endurance exercise induces major adaptations in skeletal muscle. These include increases in the mitochondrial content and respiratory capacity of the muscle fibers. As a consequence of the increase in mitochondria, exercise of the same intensity results in a disturbance in homeostasis that is smaller in trained than in untrained muscles. The major metabolic consequences of the adaptations of muscle to endurance exercise are a slower utilization of muscle glycogen and blood glucose, a greater reliance on fat oxidation, and less lactate production during exercise of a given intensity. These adaptations play an important role in the large increase in the ability to perform prolonged strenuous exercise that occurs in response to endurance exercise training.
1,997 citations
"Effects of sprint interval training..." refers background in this paper
...Changes in substrate content and utilization A shift in substrate utilization following a period of endurance training is commonly described and represents an important adaptation for increased exercise capacity (Holloszy & Coyle, 1984; Phillips et al., 1996)....
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TL;DR: Given the markedly lower training volume in the SIT group, these data suggest that high‐intensity interval training is a time‐efficient strategy to increase skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and induce specific metabolic adaptations during exercise that are comparable to traditional ET.
Abstract: Low-volume ‘sprint’ interval training (SIT) stimulates rapid improvements in muscle oxidative capacity that are comparable to levels reached following traditional endurance training (ET) but no study has examined metabolic adaptations during exercise after these different training strategies. We hypothesized that SIT and ET would induce similar adaptations in markers of skeletal muscle carbohydrate (CHO) and lipid metabolism and metabolic control during exercise despite large differences in training volume and time commitment. Active but untrained subjects (23 ± 1 years) performed a constant-load cycling challenge (1 h at 65% of peak oxygen uptake ( ˙ VO2peak) before and after 6 weeks of either SIT or ET (n = 5 men and 5 women per group). SIT consisted of four to six repeats of a 30 s ‘all out’ Wingate Test (mean power output ∼500 W) with 4.5 min recovery between repeats, 3 days per week. ET consisted of 40‐60 min of continuous cycling at a workload that elicited ∼65% ˙ VO2peak (mean power output ∼150 W) per day, 5 days per week. Weekly time commitment (∼1.5 versus ∼4.5 h) and total training volume (∼225 versus ∼2250 kJ week −1 ) were substantially lower in SIT versus ET. Despite these differences, both protocols induced similar increases (P < 0.05) in mitochondrial markers for skeletal muscle CHO (pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α protein content) and lipid oxidation (3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase maximal activity) and protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α. Glycogen and phosphocreatine utilization during exercise were reduced after training, and calculated rates of whole-body CHO and lipid oxidation were decreased and increased, respectively, with no differences between groups (all main effects, P < 0.05). Given the markedly lower training volume in the SIT group, these data suggest that high-intensity interval training is a time-efficient strategy to increase skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and induce specific metabolic adaptations during exercise that are comparable to traditional ET.
1,151 citations
"Effects of sprint interval training..." refers background or methods or result in this paper
...…suggested that intervals of very high intensity, short duration ( 30 s) and relatively long recovery periods between intervals (~4 min) may induce improvements in aerobic power and metabolic function resembling those of traditional endurance training (Gibala et al., 2006; Burgomaster et al., 2008)....
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...…et al. (2005, 2006) reported increases of 38% and 11%, respectively, after 2 weeks (three sessions/ week) of SIT and Barnett et al. (2004), Macdougall et al. (1998) and Burgomaster et al. (2008) reported increases of 42%, 36 %, and 25% after 8, 7, and 6 weeks (three sessions/ week), respectively....
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...Beta-Hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HAD), is another key enzyme related to muscle aerobic potential that is often used to reflect the maximal capacity for lipid oxidation (Burgomaster et al., 2008)....
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...Maximal COX activity and protein content of subunit II and IV increased significantly after 2 weeks of SIT, and this to the same extent as in a group performing high volume endurance training (90–120 min continuous cycling at 65% VO2peak)....
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...In accordance with reduced RER, Burgomaster et al. 2008 also reported changes in whole-body carbohydrate (decreased) and lipid oxidation (increased) during submaximal exercise....
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TL;DR: Data demonstrate that SIT is a time‐efficient strategy to induce rapid adaptations in skeletal muscle and exercise performance that are comparable to ET in young active men.
Abstract: Brief, intense exercise training may induce metabolic and performance adaptations comparable to traditional endurance training. However, no study has directly compared these diverse training strategies in a standardized manner. We therefore examined changes in exercise capacity and molecular and cellular adaptations in skeletal muscle after low volume sprint-interval training (SIT) and high volume endurance training (ET). Sixteen active men (21 +/- 1 years, ) were assigned to a SIT or ET group (n = 8 each) and performed six training sessions over 14 days. Each session consisted of either four to six repeats of 30 s 'all out' cycling at approximately 250% with 4 min recovery (SIT) or 90-120 min continuous cycling at approximately 65% (ET). Training time commitment over 2 weeks was approximately 2.5 h for SIT and approximately 10.5 h for ET, and total training volume was approximately 90% lower for SIT versus ET ( approximately 630 versus approximately 6500 kJ). Training decreased the time required to complete 50 and 750 kJ cycling time trials, with no difference between groups (main effects, P
1,081 citations
"Effects of sprint interval training..." refers background or methods or result in this paper
...…suggested that intervals of very high intensity, short duration ( 30 s) and relatively long recovery periods between intervals (~4 min) may induce improvements in aerobic power and metabolic function resembling those of traditional endurance training (Gibala et al., 2006; Burgomaster et al., 2008)....
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...Gibala et al. (2006) measured changes in the maximal activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and changes in protein content of COX subunit II and IV as an indicator...
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...Several of the selected studies have reported significant improvements in performance (Burgomaster et al., 2005, 2006; Gibala et al., 2006; Babraj et al., 2009; Bailey et al., 2009; Hazell et al., 2010), VO2max (Bailey et al., 2009; Hazell et al., 2010; Whyte et al., 2010; Astorino et al., 2011,…...
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...…muscle oxidative potential and the duration of training when, comparing the results from the studies applying two (Burgomaster et al., 2005, 2006; Gibala et al., 2006; Bailey et al., 2009; Hazell et al., 2010; Whyte et al., 2010; Astorino et al., 2011; Bayati et al., 2011) and 4–8 weeks (McKenna…...
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...Intramuscular substrates Increased resting glycogen content following a period of SIT has been reported in four studies (Barnett et al., 2004; Burgomaster et al., 2005, 2006; Gibala et al., 2006)....
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