Abstract
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Lifestyle interventions incorporating both diet and exercise strategies remain cornerstone
therapies for treating metabolic disease. Carbohydrate-restriction and high-intensity
interval training (HIIT) have independently been shown to improve cardiovascular and
metabolic health. Carbohydrate-restriction reduces postprandial hyperglycemia, thereby
limiting potential deleterious metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of excessive
glucose excursions. Additionally, carbohydrate-restriction has been shown to improve
body composition and blood lipids. The benefits of exercise for improving insulin sensitivity
are well known. In this regard, HIIT has been shown to rapidly improve glucose
control, endothelial function, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Here, we report the available
evidence for each strategy and speculate that the combination of carbohydrate-restriction
and HIIT will synergistically maximize the benefits of both approaches. We hypothesize
that this lifestyle strategy represents an optimal intervention to treat metabolic disease;
however, further research is warranted in order to harness the potential benefits of
carbohydrate-restriction and HIIT for improving cardiometabolic health.