Adipose Tissue Function and Response to Exercise Training in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (HIT-FAT)

Adipose Tissue Function and Response to Exercise Training in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Adipose Tissue Function and Response to Exercise Training in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The primary aim of this trial is to investigate adipose tissue function in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common endocrine disorder in young women. The pathogenesis behind PCOS is complex and only partly understood, and deeper mechanistic insight is needed. Insulin resistance is a central feature of PCOS, and recent studies have suggested that this is linked to aberrant adipose tissue function. Exercise training has been found to improve the symptoms in PCOS, but we need more knowledge about why. While processes involved in skeletal muscle oxidative remodeling are well described, it is to a large extent unknown whether the oxidative capacity of human adipose tissue is modified by endurance training. The women included in this study will be matched (for body mass index, body weight, and age) to participants in another study. This will enable the investigators to do a comparison between cases (women with PCOS) and controls (women without PCOS) at baseline, and to assess the responses to exercise training in adipose tissue.

Treadmill running/walking with 10 minutes warm-up at 60-70% of maximum heart rate, 4x4 minute intervals at 90-95% of maximum heart rate separated by 3-minutes active pauses at 60-70% of maximum heart rate, and 3 minutes cool-down.

Treadmill running/walking with 10 minutes warm-up at 60-70% of maximum heart rate, ten 1-minute intervals at maximal intensity (that can be performed for one minute), separated by 1-minutes active pauses at 60-70% of maximum heart rate, and 3 minutes cool-down.

Inclusion Criteria: eumenorrheic matching PCOC group in IMPROV-IT study (NCT02419482) Living nearby St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway Exclusion Criteria: Signs of hyperandrogenism Regular high intensity endurance (two or more times per week of vigorous exercise). Concurrent treatments (insulin sensitizers or drugs known to affect gonadotropin or ovulation, with a wash out period of 1 months prior to inclusion). On-going pregnancy Hormonal contraception Breastfeeding within 24 weeks

Lionett S, Kiel IA, Camera DM, Vanky E, Parr EB, Lydersen S, Hawley JA, Moholdt T. Circulating and Adipose Tissue miRNAs in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Responses to High-Intensity Interval Training. Front Physiol. 2020 Jul 30;11:904. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00904. eCollection 2020.

Kiel IA, Jones H, Lionett S, Rosbjorgen R, Lydersen S, Vanky E, Moholdt T. Cardiovascular Health Does Not Change Following High-Intensity Interval Training in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Med. 2022 Mar 15;11(6):1626. doi: 10.3390/jcm11061626.

Lionett S, Kiel IA, Rosbjorgen R, Lydersen S, Larsen S, Moholdt T. Absent Exercise-Induced Improvements in Fat Oxidation in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome After High-Intensity Interval Training. Front Physiol. 2021 Mar 24;12:649794. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.649794. eCollection 2021.