Is HIIT Good Or Bad For PCOS & Why?

One of the most popular forms of exercise today is High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) as it’s associated with multiple health benefits supported by solid evidence. But is this type of intense workout also suitable for women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) or can it make this condition worse?

That’s what I’ll explain in this article based on the latest research as well as my own experience. You’ll learn about all the benefits and disadvantages of HIIT for PCOS so you’ll be able to make an informed decision. I’ll also share with you some practical tips on how to get started with HIIT and how to gain the most benefits.

If you’re curious about the effects of other types of exercise on PCOS, make sure to check out my previous article ‘What Is The Best Exercise For PCOS & Why?’ to find out.

What is HIIT?

HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is a short cardio-based type workout that can be performed in many different forms. The basis of this training style is to alternate between short but very intense periods of exercise movements (ideally performed in your maximal capacity) followed by low-intensity recovery periods.

This protocol is then repeated over and over for a total duration of 10-30 minutes (HIIT workouts are not meant to be longer than that). Most HIIT workouts typically involve some form of vigorous exercise (sprinting, biking, jumping) but the activity is completely optional (you can do body exercise or use equipment).

The length of the active and recovery periods can also vary as they’re usually adjusted to the person’s level of fitness and the type of activity. However, the working periods should remain short (10-30 seconds) so you can maintain the highest level of intensity while the recovery period should be sufficiently long (30-60 seconds) so you can do it all over again.

The ultimate goal of HIIT workouts is to gain the most health benefits in the shortest amount of time. The good news is that there is actually a lot of research behind this form of exercise and some of its unique effects on health may be particularly beneficial for women with PCOS. And here is why.

Benefits of HIIT for PCOS:

Improved insulin resistance
Weight management
Increased metabolism
Cardiovascular health support
Time efficiency

✓ Improved insulin resistance

Insulin resistance (your body’s impaired metabolism of glucose) is a major issue for women with PCOS since high levels of insulin in the blood can trigger ovaries to produce excessive amounts of androgens (the ‘male’ hormones). Elevated androgen levels are then responsible for most of the common PCOS symptoms (acne, hair loss, hirsutism, irregular periods).

While exercise, in general, is one of the best ways to improve your glucose metabolism and reverse insulin resistance, HIIT appears to be particularly effective in doing so. Multiple studies have shown that HIIT is able to lower blood sugars and improve insulin resistance even more than regular continuous training.

Those effects were demonstrated in various population groups including healthy individuals, diabetes patients as well as women with PCOS. For this reason, HIIT can be a great way to achieve some immediate as well as long-term improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management.

✓ Weight management

There are several ways in which HIIT can help you lose weight and change your body composition. First of all, the actual workout burns a lot of calories despite its short duration. That’s because your body needs to work extra hard to keep up with the rapid changes between high-intensity and low-intensity periods (constantly bringing your heart rate up and down).

In fact, it’s been shown that you’re likely to burn more calories (up to 25-30%) during a 30-min HIIT workout than during other forms of exercise (biking, running, weight lifting) performed for the same amount of time. Additionally, HIIT workouts appear to be particularly effective in burning body fat and preserving muscle tissue.

More importantly, several studies have shown that women with PCOS performing HIIT workouts were able to significantly reduce their body fat percentage, especially in the abdomen area (the ‘belly fat’).

Since excess body fat (especially visceral) is one of the main contributors to inflammation, insulin resistance and PCOS, HIIT seems to be a great tool to help manage weight, shift body composition and improve metabolic health in women with PCOS.

✓ Improved metabolism

Dysfunctional metabolism is one of the main features of PCOS and it’s closely related to insulin resistance, hormone fluctuations and weight management problems. The good news is that HIIT is an excellent type of exercise to boost your metabolic rate and make you more metabolically flexible.

According to research, HIIT has the ability to increase your metabolic rate and maintain it even after you finish exercising (up to 24 hours). This effect of increased metabolism post-workout appears to be much greater after HIIT than after other forms of exercise (jogging, weight training).

In addition, HIIT has been shown to be effective in switching your metabolism to the ‘fat-burning’ mode (it primarily uses carbs for energy) which is a great way to improve your overall metabolic flexibility. Another effective way to switch to this mechanism is by practicing intermittent fasting.

✓ Cardiovascular health support

PCOS is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease due to the metabolic and hormonal dysfunctions associated with this condition. One of the best ways to improve cardiorespiratory endurance and support heart health is to engage in an aerobic type of exercise on a regular basis.

Aerobic exercise makes your body more efficient at circulating and utilizing oxygen which can be measured by VO2max (the maximum rate of oxygen consumption during exercise). The higher your VO2max the better your cardiovascular endurance and the lower your risk of heart disease.

Interestingly, short HIIT workouts (20 min 4x/week) have been shown to be as effective in increasing VO2max as long endurance training (40 min 4x/week) which is generally considered best for cardiovascular health. This suggests that HIIT can significantly improve your cardiometabolic profile (in a shorter amount of time) which has been demonstrated even in studies involving women with PCOS.

Additionally, increased VO2max and cardiovascular health allow you to sustain physical activity for a longer period of time. In other words, you’ll become more fit, better at exercising and less likely to get tired which will make living a healthy lifestyle much easier.

✓ Time efficiency

One of the biggest advantages of HIIT is that you’re able to gain all of the health benefits in a short period of time. This makes this style of training extremely convenient and time-efficient. Since we all live in a busy environment and PCOS is commonly associated with extreme fatigue, engaging in pro-longed cardio sessions can be particularly difficult.

For this reason, short (but efficient) HIIT sessions can be a great and sustainable way to overcome these issues. In fact, one study has demonstrated similar improvements in PCOS symptoms after following either a HIIT program (20 min 5x/week) or a moderate cardio program (40 min 5x/week) which clearly showed the time-saving properties of HIIT.

Another great benefit of this training style is that it’s extremely flexible so you can get creative with the choice of your exercise. This makes HIIT particularly engaging so you don’t get bored easily and you’re more likely to stay consistent. You can adjust your workouts to what’s available to you (jump rope, kettlebells, bike, treadmill) or follow some great guided HIIT sessions (online or in-person).

Risks of HIIT for PCOS:

Increased stress
Hormone imbalance
Disrupted sleep

✕ Increased stress

One of the things to keep in mind is that high-intensity exercise act as a stressor for your body that triggers the release of cortisol (the ‘stress’ hormone). While this type of acute stress is not necessarily a bad thing (it is beneficial in the long run) it can become problematic for someone with chronically high levels of cortisol.

Since women with PCOS are already prone to chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels, they may need to limit their exposure to cortisol-triggering stressors such as HIIT. However, the optimal amount may differ between individuals based on their unique responses to stress.

✕ Hormone imbalance

Even though cortisol is an extremely important hormone responsible for many vital functions in your body, it needs to be properly regulated. Having constantly too much cortisol in your blood can seriously disrupt the regulation of your other hormones, especially sex hormones. In fact, chronic stress is considered to be one of the main drivers of PCOS.

It’s been shown that even healthy women who overtrain can experience hormonal imbalance, loss of period and fertility issues. Women with PCOS should therefore be extra careful with their training regime since they already suffer from those hormone-related issues.

✕ Disrupted sleep

It is true that regular exercise can significantly improve the quality of your sleep which is crucial for optimal hormone function and PCOS management. However, it’s been demonstrated that excessive HIIT workouts may have the opposite effects.

Remember that HIIT is a cortisol-triggering stressor and that pushing yourself too hard (without sufficient recovery time) can easily put you in an overstressed state that can massively disrupt your sleep cycle. For this reason, high-intensity workouts (such as HIIT) need to be performed in moderation and followed by an adequate recovery period.

Is HIIT good for PCOS?

In general, HIIT is considered good for PCOS as it may help reduce insulin resistance, manage weight, improve metabolism and support cardiovascular health. However, HIIT needs to be performed in moderation and followed by a sufficient recovery period to prevent chronic stress and disrupted hormones.

Does HIIT help lose weight with PCOS?

According to studies, HIIT can help lose weight and reduce body fat percentage in women with PCOS due to its beneficial effects on metabolic health. However, other lifestyle factors (diet, sleep, stress management) need to be considered to achieve sustainable weight loss results.

Yoga or HIIT for PCOS?

Both yoga and HIIT have been shown to be effective in reducing multiple PCOS symptoms and improving cardiometabolic markers in women with this condition. Therefore, women with PCOS may gain the most health benefit from incorporating both of those types of exercise into their lifestyles.

Things to consider:

One of the most important things to consider when it comes to HIIT is that we are all unique individuals who thrive on different strategies. While HIIT may be extremely beneficial for some women with PCOS it may not work for everyone.

You should always listen to your own body and find what works best for you. That being said, it’s also important to do HIIT right if you want to gain the most benefits. And here’s how to do it.

How to do HIIT for PCOS:

1. Pick a suitable activity

Make sure you choose an activity that you not only enjoy but that’s also suitable to your personal needs. Consider your fitness level, health issues and what’s available to you. For example, if you suffer from joint pain, pick a low-impact activity and if you’re new to fitness you may want to opt for some simple exercise.

Since you’re meant to exercise at your maximum capacity during HIIT, it’s important you completely master the selected activity to prevent any injuries.

2. Follow appropriate structure

The structure of an optimal HIIT workout is different for everyone but it might take a couple of tries to figure out what works for you. The key thing to remember is to keep your active high-intensity periods short (under 30 seconds).

As I’ve already mentioned you’re supposed to give it your 100% and maintain it for the whole period. If you’re capable of going longer than that, it’s a sign that you might be compromising the intensity of your workout (your heart rate should be between 70 to 90 % of your max capacity).

The resting period on the other hand should be long enough so your body can recover and you can again perform at your best. This period is typically at least as long as your active period or longer (depending on your fitness level).

3. Start slow

Because HIIT is a very demanding form of exercise, it’s important to start slow and build your way into it (especially if you’re new to fitness). Start with only a few sessions per week (1-2) and don’t be afraid to take longer rest periods.

You can also start with short HIIT workouts (10-15 mins) to improve your technique and endurance. Prioritize the quality rather than quantity of your HIIT workouts.

4. Focus on recovery

Make sure to give your body sufficient recovery time to prevent injuries, improve your performance and regulate stress. I’ve already discussed how too much high-intensity exercise can put a lot of stress on your body, increase cortisol and lead to hormone disruptions.

Having adequate recovery periods and stress management strategies in place is the only way to prevent those negative effects. You may want to include some forms of restorative exercise (yoga, pilates, stretching) into your routine as well.

5. Avoid HIIT too close to bed

Since HIIT is a high-intensity vigorous exercise, it is best to schedule it earlier in the day. That’s because the hormonal response to this form of exercise is meant to make you more alert and energized. It increases your cortisol, heart rate and body temperature which can seriously disturb your sleep when performed too close to bed.

Try to avoid HIIT workouts at least 3-4 hours before bed so you don’t compromise your sleep quality. If you’d like to know more about the optimal timing of your workouts, you can check out my previous article ‘When Is The Best Time To Exercise For PCOS & Why?‘.

6. Listen to your body

Perhaps the most important thing is to always listen to your body and how it responds to HIIT. Don’t push yourself if it’s adding more stress than benefits into your life. While HIIT appears to have some great benefits for PCOS, it’s not the only form of exercise that can get you results.

If HIIT doesn’t work for you, find a different activity that you enjoy and that you can stick to. I personally love HIIT workouts (especially when I’m busy) but I always make sure I don’t overdo it (no more than 3-4x sessions per week). But again, we are all different and you should always consider your personal circumstances by analyzing your body.

Pro tips:

Try jump rope (it’s a fun way to do a short but intense HIIT session)
Include other types of workouts (to gain other health benefits)
Find some good HIIT videos (there’s plenty on youtube and they all have different styles)
Track your progress (to see what strategies work for you)
Stay hydrated (make sure to replenish fluids as well as electrolytes after HIIT)
Stretch regularly (to prevent injuries and recover quicker)
Have a killer music playlist (the most important thing)

Resources:

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