Fat MetabolismNCT07161648
Use of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to Prevent Exercise Resistance
A study testing neuromuscular electrical stimulation in people with Fat Metabolism, run by Colorado State University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The study will find out if 100 minutes of electrical stimulation of muscle prevents the unfavorable consequence of insufficient exercise. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Fat Metabolism
- What is being tested?
- neuromuscular electrical stimulation
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Oct 2024to 11 May 2026
- 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
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Regularly active (more than 30 minutes of exercise per day, 3 days per week, over the previous 12 months)
- Ability to complete at least one hour of treadmill exercise (i.e. jogging/running),
- Willing to abstain from caffeine and alcohol for 24-hours prior to three different study visits
- Competency in English
Who cannot join
- Current or previous injuries that may hinder a participant's ability to exercise on a treadmill
- A history of cardiopulmonary disorder that may be contra-indicative to treadmill exercise
- Current use of cardio-pulmonary medication to treat a cardio-pulmonary condition
- Currently breastfeeding
- Pregnancy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523
About this study
The study will find out if 100 minutes of electrical stimulation of muscle prevents the unfavorable consequence of insufficient exercise.
Read the detailed description
Exercise resistance is characterized by the absence of exercise induced improvements in fat metabolism following a meal, and results from prolonged sedentary behavior between successive workouts (i.e. 2+ sedentary days between exercise bouts). The suggested energy expenditure threshold for avoiding exercise resistance is the equivalent of walking ~8,500 steps/day. However, population data indicate that the typical adult in the US only walks 5,000 steps/day (i.e. 3,500 steps below the threshold). Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) evokes skeletal muscle contractions and increases energy expenditure. The hypothesis to be explored in this current proposal is: NMES will prevent exercise resistance. The plan is to induce exercise resistance via short-term abstention from activity other than exercise, and then on a separate occasion, use NMES to prevent exercise resistance (i.e. the short-term abstention from exercise will be "replaced" with NMES).
- Conditions
- Fat Metabolism
- Being tested
- neuromuscular electrical stimulation
- Keywords
- exercise, exercise resistance, electrical stimulation
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
neuromuscular electrical stimulationOther
The study participants will engage in 100-minutes of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). NMES pads are sticky pieces of plastic, similar in size to a 25-cent coin. The pads will be placed on the bellies of thigh muscles (the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis), and calf muscles (the long and short head of the gastrocnemius). These skeletal muscles are selected due to their size (thereby promoting a bigger increase for metabolic rate compared with a small muscle), because they are relatively superficial, and because previous published studies of NMES used these anatomical locations.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Establishing the normal benefit of exercise | No intervention | Study participants will complete treadmill exercise. During the same day, they will walk a minimum of 8,500 steps. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. |
| Demonstrating exercise resistance | No intervention | Study participants will complete treadmill exercise. They will walk no more than 5,000 steps on the same day. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. |
| Trying to prevent exercise resistance | Experimental | Study participants will complete treadmill exercise. They will walk no more than 5,000 steps on the same day. They will receive 100 minutes of neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. Receives: Other: neuromuscular electrical stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Fat oxidation
Circulating triglyceride concentration after eating a high fat meal.
Measured: Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured. Study participants will eat a meal. Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured every 30-minutes for 4 hours.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Sep 2025
- Study start17 Oct 2024
- Primary completion19 Feb 2026
- Study completion11 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Fat MetabolismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Colorado State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Christopher Bell, Colorado State University
- Investigators
- Christopher Bell, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Colorado State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07161648
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 5208
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 26 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Group descriptive statistics (e.g. average and standard deviation) will be shared.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Use of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to Prevent Exercise Resistance
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07161648
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 5208
- Conditions
- Fat Metabolism
- Keywords
- exercise, exercise resistance, electrical stimulation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Colorado State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 11 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 8 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study will find out if 100 minutes of electrical stimulation of muscle prevents the unfavorable consequence of insufficient exercise.
Detailed description
Exercise resistance is characterized by the absence of exercise induced improvements in fat metabolism following a meal, and results from prolonged sedentary behavior between successive workouts (i.e. 2+ sedentary days between exercise bouts). The suggested energy expenditure threshold for avoiding exercise resistance is the equivalent of walking ~8,500 steps/day. However, population data indicate that the typical adult in the US only walks 5,000 steps/day (i.e. 3,500 steps below the threshold). Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) evokes skeletal muscle contractions and increases energy expenditure. The hypothesis to be explored in this current proposal is: NMES will prevent exercise resistance. The plan is to induce exercise resistance via short-term abstention from activity other than exercise, and then on a separate occasion, use NMES to prevent exercise resistance (i.e. the short-term abstention from exercise will be "replaced" with NMES).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Establishing the normal benefit of exercise | No intervention | –Study participants will complete treadmill exercise. During the same day, they will walk a minimum of 8,500 steps. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. |
| Demonstrating exercise resistance | No intervention | –Study participants will complete treadmill exercise. They will walk no more than 5,000 steps on the same day. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. |
| Trying to prevent exercise resistance | Experimental | Other: neuromuscular electrical stimulationStudy participants will complete treadmill exercise. They will walk no more than 5,000 steps on the same day. They will receive 100 minutes of neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The next day, fat oxidation will be measured after eating a high-fat meal. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Regularly active (more than 30 minutes of exercise per day, 3 days per week, over the previous 12 months)
- Ability to complete at least one hour of treadmill exercise (i.e. jogging/running),
- Willing to abstain from caffeine and alcohol for 24-hours prior to three different study visits
- Competency in English
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Current or previous injuries that may hinder a participant's ability to exercise on a treadmill
- A history of cardiopulmonary disorder that may be contra-indicative to treadmill exercise
- Current use of cardio-pulmonary medication to treat a cardio-pulmonary condition
- Currently breastfeeding
- Pregnancy
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| neuromuscular electrical stimulationThe study participants will engage in 100-minutes of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). NMES pads are sticky pieces of plastic, similar in size to a 25-cent coin. The pads will be placed on the bellies of thigh muscles (the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis), and calf muscles (the long and short head of the gastrocnemius). These skeletal muscles are selected due to their size (thereby promoting a bigger increase for metabolic rate compared with a small muscle), because they are relatively superficial, and because previous published studies of NMES used these anatomical locations. | Other | Trying to prevent exercise resistance |
Primary outcome
Fat oxidation
Time frame: Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured. Study participants will eat a meal. Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured every 30-minutes for 4 hours.
Circulating triglyceride concentration after eating a high fat meal.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Group descriptive statistics (e.g. average and standard deviation) will be shared.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Christopher Bell, Ph.D. principal investigator
Colorado State University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing neuromuscular electrical stimulation in people with Fat Metabolism, run by Colorado State University at 1 site in United States.
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 4 inclusion and 5 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 26 Aug 2026. 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 States. 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. 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?
Fat oxidation (time frame: Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured. Study participants will eat a meal. Blood will be sampled and triglyceride concentration measured every 30-minutes for 4 hours.). 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 26 Aug 2026.