HIIT, Steroid Hormones and Mental Health in Adolescents

The Effects of High-intensity Interval Training on Selected Steroid Hormones and Psychological Features in Healthy Male Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of study was to investigate the effect of a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), hormonal, and mental health markers in male adolescents. The main question it aims to answer is: Does HIIT improve CRF, hormonal (testosterone and cortisol levels, testosterone:cortisol ratio), and mental health (depression, anxiety and stress scores) markers. Researchers will compare HIIT (designed to experimental group) to non-training intervention (designed to control group) to see if the training program works to improve the health status. HIIT consisted of three sessions per week for 10 weeks, comprising of three sets of four to eight bouts of 30-s runs at high intensity [100-110% of maximal aerobic speed (MAS)], interspersed with 30-s recovery runs at low intensity (50% of MAS) between bouts.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hormone
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) program

Detailed Description

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient method for improving physical fitness in youth. However, limited evidence exists regarding its effects on testosterone and cortisol levels, testosterone:cortisol ratio, and mental health outcomes during adolescence, a critical period of development. This study was to investigate the effect of a HIIT intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF, expressed as maximal aerobic speed and maximal oxygen consumption), hormonal, and mental health markers in male adolescents. Twenty-eight healthy male adolescents (age, 14.9±0.74 yrs.) were randomized to a HIIT group (HIITG, n=15) or a non-training control group (CG, n=13). HIIT consisted of three sessions per week for 10 weeks, comprising of three sets of four to eight bouts of 30-s runs at high intensity [100-110% of maximal aerobic speed (MAS)], interspersed with 30-s recovery runs at low intensity (50% MAS) between bouts. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included CRF (VO2max), hormonal markers (testosterone, cortisol, and testosterone:cortisol ratio), and mental health markers (depression, anxiety and stress scores).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 28
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Tunisia
  • Boulifa
    • El Kef, Boulifa, Tunisia, 7100
      • Tunisia

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• male sex,
• age 14 to 16 years,
• normal weight according to the WHO child growth standards for BMI (BMI ≤ 85th percentile)
• parental approval.

Exclusion Criteria:

• medical conditions contraindicating intense physical exercise
• non-compliance with the training program
• habitual physical activity exceeding school physical education lessons
• current or recent (within 3 months) dietary supplementation or restriction
• incomplete data.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) group; The HIIT group performed a HIIT program consisting of three sessions per week for 10 weeks, including three sets of four to eight bouts of 30-second runs at high intensity (100-110% of maximal aerobic speed, MAS), interspersed with 30-second recovery runs at low intensity (50% MAS) between bouts.	Behavioral: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) program; The HIIT program consisted of three sessions per week for 10 weeks, comprising of three sets of four to eight bouts of 30-s runs at high intensity [100-110% of maximal aerobic speed (MAS)], interspersed with 30-s recovery runs at low intensity (50% MAS) between bouts.
No Intervention: Control group; The participants in the control group maintained their normal daily activities.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Testosterone	Testosterone concentration, expressed in nmol/L, was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Monobind, Inc., Lake Forest, CA).	One day before the start and two days after the completion of the 10 weeks of training program.
Cortisol	Cortisol concentration, expressed in nmol/L, was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Monobind, Inc., Lake Forest, CA).	One day before the start and two days after the completion of the 10 weeks of training program.
The testosterone/cortisol ratio	The testosterone/cortisol ratio (T/C) was calculated by dividing the testosterone value by the cortisol value for each participant.	One day before the start and two days after the completion of the 10 weeks of training program.
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 items (DASS-21)	The DASS-21 is a self-report questionnaire that assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (Lai et al., 2015). Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 63. Higher scores indicate worse psychological symptoms (greater levels of depression, anxiety, or stress). In the present study, we used the Arabic version of the DASS-21, which has been validated and shown to have good psychometric properties (Moussa et al., 2017), to ensure linguistic and cultural appropriateness for assessing adolescents' psychological well-being.	Before the start and after the completion of the 10 weeks of training program.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximal aerobic speed	Maximal aerobic speed (MAS), expressed in km/h, was determined using the incremental running test (20-m shuttle run test) as previously described by (Léger et al. 1982). The test was designed to assess the aerobic capacity of schoolchildren, healthy adolescents, and adults.	Before and after the 10 weeks of the training program.
Maximal oxygen consumption	Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), expressed in mL/kg/min, was determined using the incremental running test (20-m shuttle run test) as previously described by (Léger et al. 1982). The test was designed to assess the aerobic capacity of schoolchildren, healthy adolescents, and adults.	Before and after the 10 weeks of the training program.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nejmeddine Ouerghi, Ph.D, Research Unit "Sport Sciences, Health and Movement"(UR22JS01) High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, 7100 Kef, Tunisia.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 25, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): January 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 20, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 21, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): December 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 31, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 21, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mental health; physical performance; hormones; adolescences; training period
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Personal Satisfaction; Psychological Well-Being; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; High-Intensity Interval Training
• Other Study ID Numbers: HIIT-ADO-Stroid-H

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No