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Dietary ExposureNCT03998800

Effects of L-arginine and L-citrulline Supplementation on Muscle Respiration

A study testing Dietary Supplement and Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer in people with Dietary Exposure, run by Loughborough University at 1 site in United Kingdom.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The objective of this trial is to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with the amino acids, L-arginine and L-citrulline, on endurance performance and mitochondrial respiration in healthy men compared to supplementation with L-arginine alone and a placebo supplement. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 40 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Dietary Exposure
What is being tested?
Dietary Supplement and Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
18 participants
Where
1 siteUnited Kingdom
Study dates
1 May 2019to 1 Jan 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 40 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • healthy male, 18-40 years of age
  • recreationally-active
  • healthy BMI (≥18.5 and ≤24.9 kg/m2)

Who cannot join

  • participating in other studies currently or in the past two months or has an intention to participate in other studies over the period of this study
  • history of gastric, digestive, cardiovascular, renal disease or any other orthopaedic diseases related to motor organs
  • lidocaine allergy
  • use of medication that may affect study measures
  • contraindication to the biopsy procedures
  • on medications that affect the immune system
Show all 10Show fewer
  • on Aspirin or other drugs known to prolong bleeding
  • smoker
  • user of dietary supplements currently or in the past one month
  • a heavy drinker

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United Kingdom1 site
  • School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences

    Loughborough, Leicester, Le11 3YU

Other trials in United Kingdom

About this study

Official title: The Effect of L-arginine and L-citrulline Supplementation on Endurance Performance and Mitochondrial Respiration

The objective of this trial is to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with the amino acids, L-arginine and L-citrulline, on endurance performance and mitochondrial respiration in healthy men compared to supplementation with L-arginine alone and a placebo supplement.

Read the detailed description

This study is a randomized, double-blind, cross over trial of L-arginine and L-citrulline supplementation, L-arginine supplementation alone and placebo supplementation in healthy men. The intervention period will be 8-11 weeks for each participant and a minimum of 15 individuals will be recruited and enrolled to complete the trial. Subjects will complete the experimental protocol described below over 3 individual 10 day supplementation periods, separated by washout periods of approximately 2 weeks. Subjects will ingest corn-starch as a placebo, L-arginine (3g/day) or L-arginine (1.5 g/day) + L-citrulline (1.5g/day). On day 7 of the supplementation period, a skeletal muscle biopsy and blood sample will be obtained from the subjects to investigate mitochondrial function and blood amino acid and nitric oxide levels. On day 10 of the supplementation period, subjects will complete a performance test on a cycle ergometer to investigate their endurance performance. These assessments will be performed to determine the effects of co-ingesting L-arginine and L-citrulline compared to L-arginine alone and placebo administration.

Being tested
Dietary Supplement, Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer
Keywords
Endurance performance, Mitochondrial function, L-arginine, L-citrulline, Healthy males

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Dietary SupplementDietary supplement

    Dietary Supplement: L-arginine and L-citrulline supplement, L-arginine supplement, or placebo supplement (corn-starch) Subjects will complete 3 individual 10 day supplementation periods, separated by washout periods of approximately 2 weeks.

  • Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometerBehavioural

    On day 10 of each supplementation period, subjects will complete a performance test on a cycle ergometer to investigate their endurance performance.

Study groups in NCT03998800
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
L-arginine and L-citrullineExperimental10 days of supplementation with 1.5 g of L-arginine and 1.5 g of L-citrulline per day
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Dietary Supplement; Behavioral: Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer
L-arginineExperimental10 days of supplementation with 3 g of L-arginine per day
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Dietary Supplement; Behavioral: Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer
Placebo (corn-starch)Placebo comparator10 days of supplementation with corn-starch
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Dietary Supplement; Behavioral: Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Endurance performance on a cycle ergometer between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation periods, subjects will complete a performance test on a cycle ergometer to investigate their endurance performance

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  2. Change in Endurance performance on a cycle ergometer between L-arginine + L-citrulline supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation periods, subjects will complete a performance test on a cycle ergometer to investigate their endurance performance

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  3. Changes of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 7 of the supplementation periods, a skeletal muscle biopsy sample will be obtained from subjects to investigate mitochondrial function.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  4. Changes of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle between L-arginine + L-citrulline supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 7 of the supplementation periods, a skeletal muscle biopsy sample will be obtained from subjects to investigate mitochondrial function.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Changes of amino acid and nitric oxide biomarkers levels in plasma between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On days 7 and 10 of the supplementation periods, a venous blood sample will be obtained from subjects to investigate amino acid and nitric oxide biomarkers levels in plasma.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  2. Changes of amino acid and nitric oxide biomarkers levels in plasma between L-arginine + L-citrulline supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On days 7 and 10 of the supplementation periods, a venous blood sample will be obtained from subjects to investigate amino acid and nitric oxide biomarkers levels in plasma.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  3. Changes in muscle oxygenation between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation periods, skeletal muscle oxygenation will be assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy to reveal the tissue saturation index during exercise.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  4. Changes in muscle oxygenation between L-arginine + L-citrulline supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation periods, skeletal muscle oxygenation will be assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy to reveal the tissue saturation index during exercise.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  5. Changes in subjective feeling during and after exercise between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation period, subjective feeling during (using the 6-20 ratings of perceived exertion scale) and after (using a 100 mm visual analogue scale where 0 mm = no pain and 100 m = maximal pain) exercise will be assessed. Subjective feeling will also be assessed on the morning of day 11 of each supplementation period.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

  6. Changes in subjective feeling during and after exercise between L-arginine + L-citrulline supplementation and placebo supplementation

    On day 10 of the supplementation period, subjective feeling during (using the 6-20 ratings of perceived exertion scale) and after (using a 100 mm visual analogue scale where 0 mm = no pain and 100 m = maximal pain) exercise will be assessed. Subjective feeling will also be assessed on the morning of day 11 of each supplementation period.

    Measured: 8-11 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted26 Jun 2019
  2. Study start1 May 2019
  3. Primary completion1 Jan 2022
  4. Study completion1 Jan 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Allocation: Randomized Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator)
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
18 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03998800
Sponsor's protocol ID
R19-P010
Status last verified
Apr 2022
First submitted
18 Jun 2019
Last updated
2 May 2022
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Dietary Supplement and Endurance exercise on a cycle ergometer in people with Dietary Exposure, run by Loughborough University at 1 site in United Kingdom.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 May 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Endurance performance on a cycle ergometer between L-arginine supplementation and placebo supplementation (time frame: 8-11 weeks). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 May 2022.

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