None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Prolonged and unaccustomed eccentric muscular work (like downhill walking) produces micro-structural damage to muscles resulting in inflammation and delayed soreness. Muscle damage from this exercise is associated with impaired muscle function (i.e. loss of muscle strength and mobility) and localised swelling/oedema. Although the mechanisms behind eccentric muscle damage are not precisely known, it is believed that along with initial mechanically induced disruption, secondary damage is caused by the inflammatory process and oxidative stress from inflammatory cells recruited to the site of injury. New Zealand green shell mussel (GSM) is rich in omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which have been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory properties. Green shell mussel contains additional bioactive components including glycosaminoglycans and other novel peptides and lipids that modulate inflammatory processes. Previous dietary intervention studies have reported the efficacy of New Zealand GSM to modulate key inflammatory factors leading to reduced soreness following exercise and improved lung function through reduced bronchoconstriction. These findings highlight the potential for New Zealand GSM supplementation to modulate exercise-induced inflammation and support recovery of muscle function following muscle damage. In this study, we seek to investigate the effect of long-term New Zealand GSM dietary supplementation in modulating inflammation and inflammatory pathways following exercise-induced muscle damage to the quadriceps. We will aim to examine whether any modulation in inflammation by GSM consumption leads to expedited recovery of musculo-skeletal performance following muscle damage.
Interventions
This is a double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel cross-over design intervention study that will allow us to evaluate whether long-term supplementation with New Zealand GSM promotes muscle recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage to the quadriceps. Prospective participants who have passed the study's inclusion/exclusion criteria will be asked to attend a familiarisation session (approximately 1 hr) where they will meet with the study’s principal investigator. During this se
This is a double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel cross-over design intervention study that will allow us to evaluate whether long-term supplementation with New Zealand GSM promotes muscle recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage to the quadriceps. Prospective participants who have passed the study's inclusion/exclusion criteria will be asked to attend a familiarisation session (approximately 1 hr) where they will meet with the study’s principal investigator. During this session, the study’s trial coordinator (Research Associate, approx. 5 years experience in human studies) and principal investigator (Research Scientist, PhD) who will introduced them to the subjective visual analogue scale (VAS) and questionnaire for pain assessment that they will be asked to respond to during the trial days. Each participant’s quadriceps muscle function will be measured using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer where they will be asked to perform three maximal concentric, eccentric and isometric contractions. Muscle function measures on quadriceps of both legs will be conducted. Participants will be also be familiarised to the bench stepping exercise that they will need to complete during the trial day. Participants will be required to step up (concentric) on a bench set at a height of 110% of their lower leg length then by step down (eccentric) from the bench with the contralateral leg at a speed of 15 cycles per minute for two minutes. During this exercise, participants will wear a weighted vest containing an additional mass corresponding to 15% of their bodyweight. Participants will be required to undergo a six week washout period prior to starting the first arm of this study which can start one week of their familiarisation session. During these six weeks, they will be given a list of foods (e.g. mussel or mussel-derived food) to abstain from consuming. For the first arm of this study, recruited participants will be evenly randomised into two treatment groups: (1) New Zealand GSM group and (2) Placebo group. At the start of the study arm, the trial co-ordinator will then give participants gelatine capsules containing either the New Zealand GSM powder or the placebo. Participants will be instructed to consume 3 g of their treatment encapsulated intervention once daily for four weeks. The trial coordinator will meet with each participant weekly to track their compliance. The day after their four-week supplementation period, participants will arrive at the research facility to complete their exercise trial day. They will initially undergo quadriceps muscle function assessments as previously described followed by subjective pain assessments (questionnaire and VAS scale). Following the muscle function assessment, participants will be required to complete their customised bench stepping exercise that they were familiarised to for 30 minutes at a frequency of 15 cycles per minute. The leg assigned to undergo eccentric muscle damage exercise, will be evenly distributed between the left and right leg for the study cohort but individually randomly determined. Immediately after the exercise, assessments of quadriceps muscle function of both legs and subjective pain will be conducted. At 24, 48 and 72 hours post exercise, participants will be required to return to the facility for muscle function and subjective pain assessments. Similar to the first prior arm, participants will be required to under six weeks of washout during which they will undergo the same dietary restrictions. This can start as early as 1 week after the first trial arm. Following the washout period, participants will return for the second where they will the asked to consume the dietary intervention (placebo or GSM) that they did not receive during the first arm. Furthermore, participants will undergo the same muscle damage and recovery protocols with the contralateral leg to the one that had undergone eccentric muscle damage during the exercise trial day during the first trial arm.
Sponsors
Dr Jocelyn Eason
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Healthy males who are not involved in any comprehensive exercise training regime and can complete the physical requirements of the exercises (determined from the familiarisation day) will be selected for this study. Participants will be required to complete a health questionnaire and provide written consent for this study.
Exclusion criteria
Participants will be excluded if they are unwilling or unable to provide informed written consent or comply with the study procedures. Participants will also be excluded if they (i) have known hypersensitivity or intolerance to GSM, molluscs, crustaceans or food derived from these sources, (ii) have health conditions that impair their ability to perform the exercises or may be aggravated by the exercises in this study (e.g. injury, hernia, back or joint pain, cardiovascular and breathing problems), (iii) have a Sports Index score of 4.5 or greater as assessed by a Baecke habitual physical activity questionnaire and (iv) are unable to perform the exercises to the standard required by the trial coordinator during the familiarisation session. In addition, participants will also be excluded if they have the following health conditions: (i) blood borne diseases (e.g. hepatitis), (ii) clinically diagnosed high/low blood pressure, (iii) recent bacterial or viral illness or (iv) are taking medication that affects the properties of blood (e.g. blood clotting).
Outcome results
None listed