Effect of Essential Fatty Acids on Exercise Performance Clinical Trial
Official title:
Effect of Plant Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids on Exercise Performance
Many studies in the past three decades have examined the beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in diet and supplementation. The effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically omega-3 and omega-6, on health have been well-studied but most of the study to date has been on animal not plant sources and much less is know about their effects on exercise performance. Additionally, while positive effects have been detected for sedentary populations or those that are at risk, well-trained athletes generally have not had established advantages in taking supplements for omega-3 and omega-6 oils. There is evidence that a specific ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is most beneficial for the human body with regards to cardiovascular and mental health. In this study, participants randomized to either a plant supplement group (pureform omega; containing Flax, Evening Primrose, Sunflower, Coconut & Pumpkin oils; Natural Product Number = 80050660) or placebo (isoenergetic sugar pills) will be subjected to both a time trial and a high intensity interval bout, where their performance and power output will be analyzed. Blood lactate and glucose concentration, as well as oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production will also be examined to determine if there is a change in on fat oxidation after supplementation.
| Status | Not yet recruiting |
| Enrollment | 18 |
| Est. completion date | February 2017 |
| Est. primary completion date | February 2017 |
| Accepts healthy volunteers | Accepts Healthy Volunteers |
| Gender | Both |
| Age group | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Eligibility |
Inclusion Criteria: - Healthy, - Recreationally active (defined as those who attend a gym or play sports about 2-3 times a week), - Non-pregnant student volunteers. Exclusion Criteria: - Participants cannot have taken omega-3 or other polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements or undergone any systematic exercise training in the past 3 months, - Have symptoms or take medication for respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, or neuromuscular disease - Injury limiting exercise ability - Use heart rate or blood pressure medications - Use any medications that have side effects for dizziness, lack of motor control, or slowed reaction time - Smoker |
Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator)
| Country | Name | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Exercise Nutrition Research Laboratory, Western University | London | Ontario |
| Lead Sponsor | Collaborator |
|---|---|
| University of Western Ontario, Canada |
Canada,
| Type | Measure | Description | Time frame | Safety issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | change in cycle ergometer time trial | A 40 Km time trial test on a cycle ergometer will be conducted before and after a 5-week supplementation period | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Primary | change in Aerobic capacity (VO2 max) test | Aerobic capacity will be quantified using an incremental running test on a treadmill. The workload will be increased by increasing the slope (simulating a hill) at a constant speed (6mph) | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Primary | Change in Wingate Anaerobic Test | A 30 second intense effort on a cycle ergometer against a load equal to 9% of body mass. Peak power, mean power, total work and fatigue index will be recorded at the end of each sprint. | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Primary | change in Strength/Endurance test | Number of bench presses completed (rounded to the nearest 1/2 lift) with a 60 kg load and a metromone for pacing control (30 lifts per minute) will be used and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) will be assessed immediately before and immediately after each exercise test using the Borg Scale (analog scale with verbal identifiers) | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Secondary | change in Body composition | Body composition will be measured by densitometry using air displacement plethysmography with a BodPod® (involves sitting comfortably in a chamber for about 2 minutes while the space the body takes up is measured) for the measurement of fat and fat-free mass | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Secondary | change in Blood lactate | Capillary blood samples (0.6 microlitres) will be collected before and after each exercise session under standard sterile condition via standard skin prick technique for the measurement of blood lactate content using a blood lactate analyzer (Lactate Scout+). | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |
| Secondary | change in Blood glucose | Capillary blood samples (0.6 microlitres) will be collected before and after each exercise session under standard sterile condition via standard skin prick technique for the measurement of blood glucose content using a blood glucose analyzer (Free Style Lite) | at baseline and 5 weeks after supplementation | No |