Study Finds Single HIIT Session May Increase Bone Formation Markers in Premenopausal Women

By petrastone // 2026-10-06

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Key Findings

A randomized trial found that a single 40-minute session of high-intensity interval (HIIT) training increased P1NP, a marker of bone formation, in premenopausal women, according to a report by mindbodygreen published September 28, 2026, citing the peer-reviewed study. Researchers also reported that after 16 weeks of consistent HIIT, participants in the training group maintained bone mineral density, while the control group experienced declines in tibial bone density over the same period. The study focused on premenopausal women, a group that researchers said has been studied less often than postmenopausal women in bone-health research. Most prior investigations have examined postmenopausal women, when bone loss is already under way, according to the authors. For women, bone density typically peaks in early adulthood and then gradually declines with age, with loss accelerating after menopause when estrogen levels fall, according to the report. The trial was designed to test whether exercise could support bone remodeling before that decline speeds up, researchers said.

Study Design and Participants

Researchers conducted a randomized trial in premenopausal women and measured the acute effects of one 40-minute HIIT workout on bone biomarkers, the study stated. The primary marker measured was P1NP, a protein that indicates new bone is being formed, according to the report. The trial also tracked outcomes over 16 weeks of consistent training and included a control group for comparison, researchers said. The study’s stated aim was to examine whether HIIT could influence bone health in premenopausal women, a population that the authors said receives less research attention than postmenopausal women. According to the report, the research adds to a body of evidence on exercise and bone remodeling before menopause -- a window when many women may not realize they are at risk for bone loss. Bone tissue is in a constant state of turnover, with old bone removed and new bone formed throughout life. Medical literature has documented that bone mass begins a gradual decline in most people after their thirties, and that for women the process can accelerate significantly during the first decade of menopause, according to an article published by Mercola.com in August 2017. That source further reported that osteoporosis affects an estimated one in ten women worldwide at age sixty, and that by age eighty a woman has a two-in-five chance of developing the condition [1].

Acute Effects of a Single HIIT Session

After one 40-minute HIIT workout, participants showed increases in P1NP levels, researchers said. According to the study, the researchers attributed the increase to muscle-released signaling molecules, particularly interleukin-6, known as IL-6. IL-6 is a cytokine that muscles release during exercise, and although it is often associated with inflammation, the study stated that in the context of exercise it appears to play a beneficial role in signaling bone-building activity. The finding suggests that a single high-intensity session can trigger the body’s bone formation processes, researchers said. The study’s report described the effect as acute and temporary, based on biomarker measurements taken around the workout. The proposed mechanism -- muscle signaling to bone -- is consistent with published research on IL-6 in bone biology, though the scientific picture is not settled. A 1996 paper in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research noted that while findings by Jilka et al. suggested IL-6 is involved in bone loss during estrogen deficiency, the pathological significance of IL-6 in bone resorption remained a matter of controversy at the time of that publication [2]. The new trial’s authors framed exercise-released IL-6 as a signal for bone-building activity rather than bone breakdown, a distinction the report emphasized was specific to the exercise context.

Sixteen-Week Outcomes and Bone Density

Over 16 weeks, women in the HIIT group maintained bone mineral density, according to the study. The control group experienced declines in tibial bone density over the same period, researchers reported. The authors stated that the results suggest consistent high-intensity exercise may help preserve bone strength during premenopause, a window when many women do not realize bone loss risk rises. Bone mineral density is a standard measure of bone strength used in clinical research, though it is a surrogate measure rather than a direct count of fractures. The study did not establish long-term fracture outcomes, according to the report. Separate research has linked related forms of exercise to bone and marrow benefits. That report addressed a different population and a different outcome than the premenopausal bone-density trial, and the two should not be conflated, the sources indicated.

Context, Limitations, and Takeaways

As general fitness guidance rather than a conclusion of the trial, mindbodygreen’s report recommended aiming for two to three HIIT sessions per week, including impact movements such as jumping and running, pairing workouts with resistance exercise, and considering creatine supplementation to support muscle function. The report described consistency as key for maintaining bone density over time, and noted that many fitness studios offer group HIIT classes, with online workout programs also available for home use. Authors of fitness guidance have made related points about interval training’s intensity profile. In the book Get-Fit Guy’s Secrets to a Better Workout, author Ben Greenfield described high-intensity interval training as involving intense bouts of cardiovascular exercise followed by easy rest periods, and stated that compared with long, slow cardio sessions, HIIT burns far more calories and significantly elevates fat burning [3]. In Think Eat Move Thrive, authors James Rouse and Debra Rouse wrote that a number of physiological processes take place during exercise, including secretion of growth hormone [4]. Other books on exercise describe HIIT as a short-duration option for general fitness. The Ration Pack Diet by Sean Lerwill advised readers to pair resistance training with HIIT-style interval training to stimulate muscle synthesis [5].

References

How to Safeguard Your Bone Health Naturally - Mercola.com, August 25, 2017, by Mercola.com
Interleukin-6 and Soluble Interleukin-6 Receptors in the Synovial Fluids from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Are Responsible for Osteoclast-like Cell Formation by Acrobat 5.0 Paper Capture Plug-in for Windows. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 11 (1) 1996
Get-Fit Guys Secrets to a Better Workout by Ben Greenfield
Think Eat Move Thrive by James Rouse Debra Rouse
The Ration Pack Diet by Sean Lerwill

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