Impact of combined intermittent fasting and high‐intensity interval training on apoptosis and atrophy signaling in rat fast‐ and slow‐twitch muscles

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the influence of combined intermittent fasting (IF) and high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) on morphology, caspase‐independent apoptosis signaling pathway, and myostatin expression in soleus and gastrocnemius (white portion) muscles from healthy rats. Sixty‐day‐old male Wistar rats ( n = 60) were divided into four groups: control (C), IF, high‐intensity‐interval training (T), and high‐intensity‐interval training and intermittent fasting (T‐IF). The C and T groups received ad libitum chow daily; IF and T‐IF received the same standard chow every other day. Animals from T and T‐IF underwent a HIIT protocol five times a week for 12 weeks. IF reduced gastrocnemius mass and increased pro‐apoptotic proteins apoptosis‐inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (EndoG) in soleus and cleaved‐to‐non‐cleaved PARP‐1 ratio and myostatin expression in gastrocnemius white portion. HIIT increased AIF and apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain expression in soleus and cleaved‐to‐total PARP‐1 ratio in gastrocnemius muscle white portion. The combination of IF and HIIT reduced fiber cross‐sectional area in both muscles, increased EndoG and AIF expression, and decreased cleaved‐to‐non‐cleaved PARP‐1 ratio in gastrocnemius muscle white portion. Muscle responses to IF and HIIT are directly impacted by the muscle fiber type composition and are modulated, at least in part, by myostatin and caspase‐independent apoptosis signaling.