Effect of Isocaloric Ketogenic Diet on Physical Performance at High Altitude

Physical Activity Clinical Trial

— ICKD  

Official title:

Effect of a Four-week Isocaloric Ketogenic Diet on Physical Performance at Very High Altitude: a Pilot Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05603689
• Other study ID #: CRR
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 1, 2020
• Est. completion date: September 23, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: October 2022
• Source: Clinique Romande de Readaptation
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

A ketogenic diet (KD) reduces daily carbohydrates (CHOs) ingestion by replacing most calories with fat. KD is of increasing interest among athletes because it may increase their maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), the principal performance limitation at high altitudes. The investigators examined the tolerance of a 4-week isocaloric KD (ICKD) under simulated hypoxia and the possibility of evaluating ICKD performance benefits with a maximal graded exercise bike test under hypoxia and collected data on the effect of the diet on performance markers and arterial blood gases.

Description:

In a randomised single-blind cross-over model, 6 recreational mountaineers (age 24 to 44 years) will complete a 4-week ICKD followed or preceded by a 4-week habitual mixed western diet (HD). Performance parameters (VO2max, lactate threshold [LT], peak power [Ppeak]) and arterial blood gases (PaO2, PaCO2, pH, HCO3-) will be measured at baseline under two conditions (normoxia and hypoxia) as well as after a 4-week HD and 4-week ICKD under the hypoxic condition.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 8
• Est. completion date: September 23, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: September 1, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 20 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recreational mountaineers
• Familiarity with altitude (>2500 m above sea level) and males/females 20 to 45 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

• high training load (such as professional athletes) or new planned training
• dietary restrictions.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Altitude Hypoxia
• Altitude Sickness
• Hypoxia
• Ketogenic Dieting
• Physical Activity

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• Isocaloric ketogenic diet
The ICKD definition was based on the works of Sansone (2018) and Trimboli (2020). We defined ICKD as a daily CHOs ingestion < 30 to 50 g.d-1, without any limitation in fat consumption. Participants self-selected their own diet based on a list of advised and forbidden foods developed to fit the definition of ICKD. There were no instructions to limit calories.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Switzerland	CRR	Sion

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Clinique Romande de Readaptation

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Switzerland, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Performance test under hypoxic conditions	VO2max cycling test on ergometer	after 4 weeks of diet