Study of Ocean Rowing Muscle Metabolism. 1. What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?

Exercise Clinical Trial

— StORMM  

Official title:

StORMM 1:What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? StORMM 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05729841
• Other study ID #: 201021-A-08
• Status: Completed
• Start date: November 28, 2020
• Est. completion date: April 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: May 2024
• Source: University of Exeter
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Little is known on the human adaptation to extreme endurance and with the increasing popularity in long duration events we seek to provide insight into the physiological and metabolic adaptation processes of ocean rowing.

Rowing 12-18 hours a day will illicit a high energy expenditure and anecdotally people have lost large amounts of body weight and variable amounts of muscle mass, particularly in the lower limbs. This may provide insights and a potential new model to to study muscle unloading.

Description:

Previous research has investigated factors determining muscle loss through bed rest and limb immobilisation. These methods are limited in that some do not include inflammation or changes in nutrition, which have been shown to be key drivers of muscle loss. These studies aim to investigate a potentially new model of muscle unloading.

Ocean rowing is an ultra-endurance sport where people spend 35-90 days at sea. Usually rowing for a minimum of 12 hours a day, in a 2-hour on/off shift pattern with daily food rations. Rowers lose body and muscle mass. There is likely to be low-grade inflammation, nutritional deficit, fatigue and rowers do not stand up for the entire crossing. Part 1 aims to quantify this muscle loss by inviting rowers in the annual 3000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 to take part. While part 2 aims to continue the work by measuring upper and core muscles as well as lower limb muscles from the first study with the aim of understanding how the body allocates resources in a hypocaloric, high energy expenditure environment.

Muscle mass of the lower limbs of the rowers will be measured with ultrasound, as well as body mass, body composition, energy expenditure and nutritional intake, the week before the race and immediately after arrival in Antigua. As well as adding novel insights to the knowledge base around factors affecting ultra endurance performance, the results will then be used to inform future intervention studies aimed at preventing muscle loss.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: April 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: February 16, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 and 2021

Exclusion Criteria:

• lower limb amputee musculoskeletal, metabolic, neurological disease pacemaker fitted

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Exercise

Intervention

Other:
• Ocean row
the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge annual ocean rowing race.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	University of Exeter	Exeter	Devon

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Exeter

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Energy Expenditure	Amount of kcals expended per day	5-7 days in final week of row
Primary	Calf Muscle thickness	Pre - Post measurements of calf muscle thickness	5-7 weeks
Primary	Energy Intake	Amount of kcals consumed per day	5-7 days in final week of row
Secondary	Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss between males and females	Absolute and relative differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss	5-7 weeks
Secondary	Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss in older vs younger rowers	Are there any age-related differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss	5-7 weeks