Heiskanen MA, Leskinen T, Heinonen IH, Löyttyniemi E, Eskelinen JJ, Virtanen K, Hannukainen JC, Kalliokoski KK. Right ventricular metabolic adaptations to high-intensity interval and moderate-intensity continuous training in healthy middle-aged men. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 311: H667-H675, 2016. First published July 22, 2016; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00399.2016Despite the recent studies on structural and functional adaptations of the right ventricle (RV) to exercise training, adaptations of its metabolism remain unknown. We investigated the effects of short-term, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on RV glucose and fat metabolism. Twenty-eight untrained, healthy 40 -55 yr-old-men were randomized into HIIT (n ϭ 14) and MICT (n ϭ 14) groups. Subjects performed six supervised cycle ergometer training sessions within 2 wk (HIIT session: 4 -6 ϫ 30 s all-out cycling/4-min recovery; MICT session: 40 -60 min at 60% peak O 2 uptake). Primary outcomes were insulin-stimulated RV glucose uptake (RVGU) and fasted state RV free fatty acid uptake (RVFFAU) measured by positron emission tomography. Secondary outcomes were changes in RV structure and function, determined by cardiac magnetic resonance. RVGU decreased after training (Ϫ22% HIIT, Ϫ12% MICT, P ϭ 0.002 for training effect), but RVFFAU was not affected by the training (P ϭ 0.74). RV end-diastolic and endsystolic volumes, respectively, increased ϩ5 and ϩ7% for HIIT and ϩ4 and ϩ8% for MICT (P ϭ 0.002 and 0.005 for training effects, respectively), but ejection fraction mildly decreased (Ϫ2% HIIT, Ϫ4% MICT, P ϭ 0.034 for training effect). RV mass and stroke volume remained unaltered. None of the observed changes differed between the training groups (P Ͼ 0.12 for group ϫ training interaction). Only 2 wk of physical training in previously sedentary subjects induce changes in RV glucose metabolism, volumes, and ejection fraction, which precede exercise-induced hypertrophy of RV.Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at http://ajpheart.podbean. com/e/right-ventricular-metabolic-adaptations-to-exercise-training/. EXERCISE-INDUCED HYPERTROPHY of the left ventricle (LV), socalled athlete's heart, is generally associated with excellent health outcomes. Right ventricle (RV) has remained less studied, and for a long time it was considered merely as "a passive conduit" (8,14,42). Recently, RV adaptations to exercise training have gained increased research interest. While previous studies concerning the effects of training on the RV have reported balanced hypertrophy with the LV (21, 35-37), other studies have reported RV dysfunction following intense endurance exercise (3,9,10,25,26,40). A recent meta-analysis further confirmed that prolonged intense exercise leads to reduction of RV function, while LV function remains unaffected (6), underlining the need for further studies specifically on RV adaptations.As an alternative for traditional moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), high-intensity interval training (H...