Athletic PerformanceNCT07659301
Acute Effects of Post-Exercise Hyperoxia on Recovery in Cycling
A study testing Post-exercise Recovery in people with Athletic Performance and Hyperbaric Oxygenation, run by Université Catholique de Louvain at 1 site in Belgium.
Trial summary
This study examines whether exposition to hyperbaric oxygen after a road-race simulation can help competitive cyclists recover and perform better the following day. Hyperbaric oxygen, which involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurized chamber, is used as a recovery method in elite and professional sport. 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
- Athletic Performance, Hyperbaric Oxygenation, Physical Endurance
- What is being tested?
- Post-exercise Recovery
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 48 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBelgium
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2026to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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
- Road cyclists competing in Elite 2 (Elite without professional contract) or Under-23 (U23) categories or equivalent [Participation in national-level Belgian competitions within the previous 12 months. No specific ranking, finishing position, or performance threshold is required.]
- ≥ 2 consecutive years of cycling experience at regional or national level, with structured and periodized training
- Cycling-specific training volume ≥ 8 h a week over the preceding 10 weeks
- Stable training load in the weeks preceding inclusion, with no major changes due to injury, illness, or abnormal overload
- Measured VO₂max ≥ 60 ml/kg/min
Who cannot join
- Presence of significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, ENT, or metabolic disease, including but not limited to: Uncontrolled arterial hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mmHg) ; Unstable heart disease or decompensated cardiomyopathy
- Contraindications to hyperbaric exposure, including: Untreated pneumothorax, History of spontaneous pneumothorax without medical clearance ; Pulmonary conditions associated with air trapping (e.g. emphysema or bullous lung disease), or abnormal thoracic imaging when indicated ; Recent thoracic surgery
- Neurological contraindications, including epilepsy, history of oxygen-induced seizures, or recent seizure activity, and any association with cannabis use
- Ear, sinus, or Eustachian tube disorders preventing adequate pressure equalization, including active infection or history of severe barotrauma
- Severe claustrophobia incompatible with chamber exposure
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Belgium1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain
Louvain-la-Neuve, Brabant-Wallon, 1348
About this study
This study examines whether exposition to hyperbaric oxygen after a road-race simulation can help competitive cyclists recover and perform better the following day.
Hyperbaric oxygen, which involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurized chamber, is used as a recovery method in elite and professional sport. Its effectiveness, however, remains controversial: despite this widespread use, there is a lack of solid scientific evidence that a single HBO session after strenuous endurance exercise actually improves recovery, or that clarifies how the amount of oxygen exposure influences any benefit.
Read more
The study includes healthy male road cyclists between 18 and 40 years of age who compete at the national level in Belgium. After completing a fatiguing cycling session, each participant is randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving different levels of oxygen exposure during recovery.
Two groups breathe oxygen under increased pressure inside a chamber at either 2.5 or 1.4 atmospheres absolute. A third group breathes oxygen at normal pressure. The fourth group receives a sham condition that reproduces the treatment setting without active oxygen exposure.
The study is double-blind, meaning that neither the participants nor the researchers assessing the outcomes know which condition each participant receives.
The main goal is to determine whether a single session of post-exercise HBO improves next-day endurance performance, and whether higher oxygen exposure produces greater effects.
The researchers also collect blood samples and physiological measurements to better understand how the body recovers.
- Conditions
- Athletic Performance, Hyperbaric Oxygenation, Physical Endurance, Muscle Fatigue, Oxidative Stress
- Being tested
- Post-exercise Recovery
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Post-exercise RecoveryOther
1h intervention after a fatiguing exercise
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| HBO 2.5 ATA | Experimental | PiO₂ = 2.5 (100 % O₂ x 2.5 ATA) Receives: Other: Post-exercise Recovery |
| HBO 1.4 ATA | Experimental | PiO₂ = 1.4 (100 % O₂ x 1.4 ATA) Receives: Other: Post-exercise Recovery |
| NBO 1.0 ATA | Experimental | PiO₂ = 1.0 (100 % O₂ x 1.0 ATA) Receives: Other: Post-exercise Recovery |
| SHAM | Sham comparator | PiO₂ = 0.21 (21 % O₂ x 1.0 ATA) Receives: Other: Post-exercise Recovery |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Next-day endurance performance : Percent decrement in time to exhaustion from baseline
Endurance performance measured by a cycling time-to-exhaustion test at 105% of the lactate threshold power, expressed as the percentage decrement in time to exhaustion relative to the baseline test.
Performance is compared SHAM to the other oxygen-exposure groups.
Measured: Throughout the entire study, approximately during 18 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Jul 2026
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Athletic PerformanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Université Catholique de LouvainThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 48 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Université Catholique de Louvain
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Murdoch University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07659301
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HBO-RISE
- Status last verified
- Nov 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Acute Effects of Post-Exercise Hyperoxia on Recovery in Cycling
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07659301
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HBO-RISE
- Conditions
- Athletic Performance, Hyperbaric Oxygenation, Physical Endurance, Muscle Fatigue, Oxidative Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 48 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Université Catholique de LouvainUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Murdoch University
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 22 Jun 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 study examines whether exposition to hyperbaric oxygen after a road-race simulation can help competitive cyclists recover and perform better the following day.
Hyperbaric oxygen, which involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurized chamber, is used as a recovery method in elite and professional sport. Its effectiveness, however, remains controversial: despite this widespread use, there is a lack of solid scientific evidence that a single HBO session after strenuous endurance exercise actually improves recovery, or that clarifies how the amount of oxygen exposure influences any benefit.
The study includes healthy male road cyclists between 18 and 40 years of age who compete at the national level in Belgium. After completing a fatiguing cycling session, each participant is randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving different levels of oxygen exposure during recovery.
Two groups breathe oxygen under increased pressure inside a chamber at either 2.5 or 1.4 atmospheres absolute. A third group breathes oxygen at normal pressure. The fourth group receives a sham condition that reproduces the treatment setting without active oxygen exposure.
The study is double-blind, meaning that neither the participants nor the researchers assessing the outcomes know which condition each participant receives.
The main goal is to determine whether a single session of post-exercise HBO improves next-day endurance performance, and whether higher oxygen exposure produces greater effects.
The researchers also collect blood samples and physiological measurements to better understand how the body recovers.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| HBO 2.5 ATA | Experimental | Other: Post-exercise RecoveryPiO₂ = 2.5 (100 % O₂ x 2.5 ATA) |
| HBO 1.4 ATA | Experimental | Other: Post-exercise RecoveryPiO₂ = 1.4 (100 % O₂ x 1.4 ATA) |
| NBO 1.0 ATA | Experimental | Other: Post-exercise RecoveryPiO₂ = 1.0 (100 % O₂ x 1.0 ATA) |
| SHAM | Sham comparator | Other: Post-exercise RecoveryPiO₂ = 0.21 (21 % O₂ x 1.0 ATA) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Road cyclists competing in Elite 2 (Elite without professional contract) or Under-23 (U23) categories or equivalent [Participation in national-level Belgian competitions within the previous 12 months. No specific ranking, finishing position, or performance threshold is required.]
- ≥ 2 consecutive years of cycling experience at regional or national level, with structured and periodized training
- Cycling-specific training volume ≥ 8 h a week over the preceding 10 weeks
- Stable training load in the weeks preceding inclusion, with no major changes due to injury, illness, or abnormal overload
- Measured VO₂max ≥ 60 ml/kg/min
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Presence of significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, ENT, or metabolic disease, including but not limited to: Uncontrolled arterial hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mmHg) ; Unstable heart disease or decompensated cardiomyopathy
- Contraindications to hyperbaric exposure, including: Untreated pneumothorax, History of spontaneous pneumothorax without medical clearance ; Pulmonary conditions associated with air trapping (e.g. emphysema or bullous lung disease), or abnormal thoracic imaging when indicated ; Recent thoracic surgery
- Neurological contraindications, including epilepsy, history of oxygen-induced seizures, or recent seizure activity, and any association with cannabis use
- Ear, sinus, or Eustachian tube disorders preventing adequate pressure equalization, including active infection or history of severe barotrauma
- Severe claustrophobia incompatible with chamber exposure
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Post-exercise Recovery1h intervention after a fatiguing exercise | Other | HBO 1.4 ATA, HBO 2.5 ATA, NBO 1.0 ATA, SHAM |
Primary outcome
Next-day endurance performance : Percent decrement in time to exhaustion from baseline
Time frame: Throughout the entire study, approximately during 18 months
Endurance performance measured by a cycling time-to-exhaustion test at 105% of the lactate threshold power, expressed as the percentage decrement in time to exhaustion relative to the baseline test. Performance is compared SHAM to the other oxygen-exposure groups.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Post-exercise Recovery in people with Athletic Performance and Hyperbaric Oxygenation, run by Université Catholique de Louvain at 1 site in Belgium.
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 5 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 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 Belgium. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Théo A MAHY, MSc (+32 10 474 489, theo.mahy@uclouvain.be), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Next-day endurance performance : Percent decrement in time to exhaustion from baseline (time frame: Throughout the entire study, approximately during 18 months). 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 6 Nov 2026.