The Effects of a Dietary Supplement on Exercise Performance in Healthy Older Adults"

Excessive Physical Exercise, Unspecified Clinical Trial

Official title: Arginine and Antioxidant Supplement on Performance in Elderly Male Cyclists: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Human exercise capacity decreases with aging. One explanation may be that blood vessels stiffen with age and release less of a compound called nitric oxide (NO). This compound normally relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow to muscles, but damaging compounds called free radicals can interfere with this process. Antioxidants may help prevent free radicals from inactivating nitric oxide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an antioxidant supplement that supports NO production on exercise performance in elderly male cyclists.

Clinical Trial Description

Since the discovery of the vascular smooth muscle relaxant properties of nitric oxide (NO) over 25 years ago, studies have implicated this molecule in modulating such processes as atherosclerosis, impotence, angina, platelet function, and blood pressure, among others. Through vascular smooth muscle relaxation in both coronary and skeletal muscle arteries, as well as via independent mechanisms, nitric oxide has also been implicated in improvement of exercise capacity. In addition, NO may be involved in the immune system, assist in memory function and sleep regulation, and act as a cellular signaling messenger. Youthful, healthy and athletic individuals generally have a healthier NO system, compared to sedentary, unhealthy and aging individuals. NiteworksTM is a dietary supplement that includes L-arginine, an amino acid that acts as a nitric oxide donor and has been shown to increase levels of this molecule in the body. NiteworksTM has been formulated as a composite mixture along with other supplements, including antioxidants, that may act synergistically with L-arginine in enhancing exercise capacity. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Basic Science

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Excessive Physical Exercise, Unspecified

• NCT number: NCT01073332
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of California, Los Angeles
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 2004
• Completion date: February 2005