Exercise AdaptationAERO-BIONCT07473440
AEROBIC ADAPTATION AND BIOMARKER RESPONSES IN COMBAT ATHLETES
A study testing SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM in people with Exercise Adaptation and Aerobic Capacity, run by Adiyaman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of sport-specific training on aerobic adaptation and circulating biomarker responses in trained combat athletes. Exercise induces systemic physiological adaptations through signaling molecules known as exerkines, including myokines and adipokines, which mediate… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise Adaptation, Aerobic Capacity, Athletic Performance
- What is being tested?
- SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 20 Jan 2025to 25 Mar 2025
- 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 25 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male combat sport athletes aged between 18 and 25 years
- Minimum five years of competitive kickboxing experience
- Regular participation in training at least five days per week
- Currently competing at the national level
Who cannot join
- Musculoskeletal injury within the previous six months
- Cardiovascular or metabolic disease
- Use of medications or supplements that may affect metabolic or hormonal responses
- Participation in additional structured conditioning programs during the study period
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Adiyaman University Faculty of Sport Sciences
Adıyaman, Adıyaman Province, 02200
About this study
Official title: MYOSTATIN REDUCTION WITHIN THE MYOKINE-ADIPOKINE NETWORK PREDICTS AEROBIC ADAPTATION AFTER HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING IN COMBAT ATHLETES
This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of sport-specific training on aerobic adaptation and circulating biomarker responses in trained combat athletes. Exercise induces systemic physiological adaptations through signaling molecules known as exerkines, including myokines and adipokines, which mediate communication between skeletal muscle and other metabolic organs.
Forty trained male kickboxers are randomly assigned to either an experimental training group or a control group. The experimental group performs an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular technical training, while the control group maintains their usual training routine.
Read more
Aerobic capacity is assessed using maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max). Blood samples are collected before and after the intervention to determine circulating levels of exercise-responsive biomarkers, including myostatin, irisin, apelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), and adiponectin.
The primary objective of the study is to evaluate whether changes in circulating biomarker responses are associated with improvements in aerobic performance. The findings may provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced physiological adaptation in combat athletes.
Read the detailed description
Physical exercise induces complex physiological adaptations that involve coordinated responses across multiple organ systems. In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward circulating signaling molecules collectively referred to as exerkines. These molecules include myokines and adipokines that are released during or after exercise and contribute to communication between skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, the liver, and the central nervous system. Through these signaling pathways, exercise influences metabolic regulation, mitochondrial remodeling, inflammation, and tissue adaptation.
Combat sports such as kickboxing require repeated high-intensity efforts interspersed with short recovery periods. These demands place substantial stress on both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Consequently, aerobic capacity plays an essential role in maintaining performance and supporting recovery during repeated bouts of high-intensity activity.
Although improvements in aerobic performance following structured training programs are well documented, less is known about the molecular mechanisms that accompany these adaptations in combat sport athletes. Emerging evidence suggests that exercise-responsive biomarkers such as myostatin, irisin, apelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), and adiponectin may play important roles in regulating metabolic adaptation and muscle remodeling.
The present randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether coordinated changes in circulating myokine-adipokine responses are associated with improvements in aerobic capacity in trained combat athletes. Forty elite male kickboxers are randomly assigned to either an experimental training group or a control group. The intervention group performs an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program three times per week in addition to regular technical training, whereas the control group maintains their habitual training routine.
Aerobic capacity is assessed using maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) measured during a graded treadmill exercise test with respiratory gas analysis. Venous blood samples are collected under fasting conditions before and after the intervention to evaluate circulating biomarker responses. Biomarkers are analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques.
The primary outcome of the study is the change in VO₂max following the training intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in circulating concentrations of myostatin, irisin, apelin, BDNF, FGF21, and adiponectin. The study also examines associations between biomarker changes and aerobic performance adaptation.
This study may contribute to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying exercise-induced adaptation and provide insight into how circulating biomarker responses may reflect training responsiveness in combat sport athletes.
- Being tested
- SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM
- Keywords
- Myostatin, Myokines, Adipokines, Aerobic Adaptation, Combat Athletes, Exercise Physiology, VO2max
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAMBehavioural
PARTICIPANTS PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE AEROBIC CAPACITY. TRAINING SESSIONS WERE CONDUCTED THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND CONSISTED OF REPEATED HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVALS INTERSPERSED WITH SHORT RECOVERY PERIODS, REFLECTING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF COMBAT SPORTS.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING GROUP | Experimental | PARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM THREE TIMES PER WEEK IN ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR COMBAT SPORT TRAINING. Receives: Behavioral: SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM |
| CONTROL GROUP | No intervention | PARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP CONTINUED THEIR USUAL COMBAT SPORT TRAINING WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL CONDITIONING PROGRAM. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
VO₂max
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (6)
Myostatin
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Irisin
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Apelin
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
BDNF
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
FGF21
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Adiponectin
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Mar 2026
- Study start20 Jan 2025
- Primary completion20 Mar 2025
- Study completion25 Mar 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Exercise AdaptationStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group performing an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular training or a control group maintaining their habitual training routine.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Adiyaman University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Eren Bozyılan, Adiyaman University
- Investigators
- Eren Bozyılan, Principal investigator, Adiyaman University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07473440
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ADYU-AEROBIC-ADAPTATION-2025
- Acronym
- AERO-BIO
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Individual participant data may be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request to the corresponding author, following publication of the study results and in accordance with institutional policies and ethical guidelines.
Publications
MacInnis MJ, Gibala MJ. Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity. J Physiol. 2017 May 1;595(9):2915-2930. doi: 10.1113/JP273196. Epub 2016 Dec 7.
PubMed 27748956Chow LS, Gerszten RE, Taylor JM, Pedersen BK, van Praag H, Trappe S, Febbraio MA, Galis ZS, Gao Y, Haus JM, Lanza IR, Lavie CJ, Lee CH, Lucia A, Moro C, Pandey A, Robbins JM, Stanford KI, Thackray AE, Villeda S, Watt MJ, Xia A, Zierath JR, Goodpaster BH, Snyder MP. Exerkines in health, resilience and disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2022 May;18(5):273-289. doi: 10.1038/s41574-022-00641-2. Epub 2022 Mar 18.
PubMed 35304603
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- MYOSTATIN REDUCTION WITHIN THE MYOKINE-ADIPOKINE NETWORK PREDICTS AEROBIC ADAPTATION AFTER HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING IN COMBAT ATHLETES
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07473440
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AERO-BIO / ADYU-AEROBIC-ADAPTATION-2025
- Keywords
- Myostatin, Myokines, Adipokines, Aerobic Adaptation, Combat Athletes, Exercise Physiology, VO2max
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Adiyaman UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 25 Mar 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Mar 2026 (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.
This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of sport-specific training on aerobic adaptation and circulating biomarker responses in trained combat athletes. Exercise induces systemic physiological adaptations through signaling molecules known as exerkines, including myokines and adipokines, which mediate communication between skeletal muscle and other metabolic organs.
Forty trained male kickboxers are randomly assigned to either an experimental training group or a control group. The experimental group performs an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular technical training, while the control group maintains their usual training routine.
Aerobic capacity is assessed using maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max). Blood samples are collected before and after the intervention to determine circulating levels of exercise-responsive biomarkers, including myostatin, irisin, apelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), and adiponectin.
The primary objective of the study is to evaluate whether changes in circulating biomarker responses are associated with improvements in aerobic performance. The findings may provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced physiological adaptation in combat athletes.
Detailed description
Physical exercise induces complex physiological adaptations that involve coordinated responses across multiple organ systems. In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward circulating signaling molecules collectively referred to as exerkines. These molecules include myokines and adipokines that are released during or after exercise and contribute to communication between skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, the liver, and the central nervous system. Through these signaling pathways, exercise influences metabolic regulation, mitochondrial remodeling, inflammation, and tissue adaptation.
Combat sports such as kickboxing require repeated high-intensity efforts interspersed with short recovery periods. These demands place substantial stress on both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Consequently, aerobic capacity plays an essential role in maintaining performance and supporting recovery during repeated bouts of high-intensity activity.
Although improvements in aerobic performance following structured training programs are well documented, less is known about the molecular mechanisms that accompany these adaptations in combat sport athletes. Emerging evidence suggests that exercise-responsive biomarkers such as myostatin, irisin, apelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), and adiponectin may play important roles in regulating metabolic adaptation and muscle remodeling.
The present randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether coordinated changes in circulating myokine-adipokine responses are associated with improvements in aerobic capacity in trained combat athletes. Forty elite male kickboxers are randomly assigned to either an experimental training group or a control group. The intervention group performs an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program three times per week in addition to regular technical training, whereas the control group maintains their habitual training routine.
Aerobic capacity is assessed using maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) measured during a graded treadmill exercise test with respiratory gas analysis. Venous blood samples are collected under fasting conditions before and after the intervention to evaluate circulating biomarker responses. Biomarkers are analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques.
The primary outcome of the study is the change in VO₂max following the training intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in circulating concentrations of myostatin, irisin, apelin, BDNF, FGF21, and adiponectin. The study also examines associations between biomarker changes and aerobic performance adaptation.
This study may contribute to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying exercise-induced adaptation and provide insight into how circulating biomarker responses may reflect training responsiveness in combat sport athletes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group performing an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular training or a control group maintaining their habitual training routine.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING GROUP | Experimental | Behavioral: SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAMPARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM THREE TIMES PER WEEK IN ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR COMBAT SPORT TRAINING. |
| CONTROL GROUP | No intervention | –PARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP CONTINUED THEIR USUAL COMBAT SPORT TRAINING WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL CONDITIONING PROGRAM. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Male combat sport athletes aged between 18 and 25 years
- Minimum five years of competitive kickboxing experience
- Regular participation in training at least five days per week
- Currently competing at the national level
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Musculoskeletal injury within the previous six months
- Cardiovascular or metabolic disease
- Use of medications or supplements that may affect metabolic or hormonal responses
- Participation in additional structured conditioning programs during the study period
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAMPARTICIPANTS PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE AEROBIC CAPACITY. TRAINING SESSIONS WERE CONDUCTED THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND CONSISTED OF REPEATED HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVALS INTERSPERSED WITH SHORT RECOVERY PERIODS, REFLECTING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF COMBAT SPORTS. | Behavioural | SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING GROUP |
Primary outcome
VO₂max
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
6 secondary outcomes
Myostatin
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Irisin
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Apelin
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
BDNF
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
FGF21
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
Adiponectin
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks
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 16 Mar 2026.
- Background: PubMed 27748956MacInnis MJ, Gibala MJ. Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity. J Physiol. 2017 May 1;595(9):2915-2930. doi: 10.1113/JP273196. Epub 2016 Dec 7.
- Results publication: PubMed 35304603Chow LS, Gerszten RE, Taylor JM, Pedersen BK, van Praag H, Trappe S, Febbraio MA, Galis ZS, Gao Y, Haus JM, Lanza IR, Lavie CJ, Lee CH, Lucia A, Moro C, Pandey A, Robbins JM, Stanford KI, Thackray AE, Villeda S, Watt MJ, Xia A, Zierath JR, Goodpaster BH, Snyder MP. Exerkines in health, resilience and disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2022 May;18(5):273-289. doi: 10.1038/s41574-022-00641-2. Epub 2022 Mar 18.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Individual participant data may be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request to the corresponding author, following publication of the study results and in accordance with institutional policies and ethical guidelines.
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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.
Eren Bozyılan principal investigator
Adiyaman 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 SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM in people with Exercise Adaptation and Aerobic Capacity, run by Adiyaman University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 4 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 16 Mar 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
VO₂max (time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07473440, which also lists 2 linked publications.
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 16 Mar 2026.