Prevention of genome instability in healthy middle-aged men Genetic Diseases
Conditions
Interventions
All participants completed a three-week intervention with an oral quercetin supplement (1000 mg per day) and another three-week intervention with a placebo, separated by a 1-2 weeks washout period. La
Sponsors
University of Ulster
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Male: Menstrual cycle-related hormonal variations in women are known to affect the molecular pathways associated with the DNA damage repair response. 2. Lightly active: Having a VO2max of <50ml/kg/min. Athletes and very fit individuals tend to have a blunted response to exercise which may be due to genetic factors or exercise training effects. 3. Of normal weight: Having a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight/obese participants also have a blunted response to exercise partly due to impaired blood flow. 4. Omnivore: Vegans have a differential SIRT1 response to acute exercise (Potthast et al., 2020) which may be due to their blood and cell antioxidant status. 5. Non-smoker: Smokers are known to have differential hormonal, antioxidant, and inflammatory status that may affect the exercise and supplementation response. 6. Not a heavy drinker: Not exceeding 14 units of alcohol per week. Heavy drinkers are also known to have differential hormonal, antioxidant, and inflammatory status. 7. Not on any medication or supplementation affecting response to exercise.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Smoking: Smokers are known to have differential hormonal, antioxidant, and inflammatory status that may affect the exercise and supplementation response. 2. Exceeding 14 units of alcohol per week: Heavy drinkers are also known to have differential hormonal, antioxidant, and inflammatory status. 3. Working in night shift: SIRT1 regulates circadian rhythm and vice versa. 4. Having an infection: Respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal issues, or any changes in inflammatory status affect the exercise response. 5. Having cardiovascular or metabolic disorders: These diseases are associated with impaired blood flow that affects exercise response. 6. Taking a clinically prescribed medicine: Medication can interfere with the associated molecular pathways. 7. Being an athlete or overly fit (VO2max >50ml/kg/min).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Current primary outcome measures as of 10/04/2025: The primary outcome measures are assessed at baseline before quercetin, baseline before placebo, after 3 weeks of quercetin, after 3 weeks of placebo, after exercise with quercetin, and after exercise without quercetin, except where stated otherwise: 1. DNA strand breaks measured using single-cell gel electrophoresis 2. Oxidised purines measured using single-cell gel electrophoresis with formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) enzyme incubation 3. DNA double-strand breaks measured using immunofluorescence for ?H2AX and 53BP1 foci 4. Lipid damage measured using the spectrophotometric lipid hydroperoxide assay 5. DNA repair gene expression (SIRT1, SIRT6, PARP1, RAD51, OGG1, XRCC1, etc.) measured using RT-qPCR 6. Telomere length measured using qPCR at baseline before quercetin, baseline before placebo, after 3 weeks of quercetin, and after 3 weeks of placebo 7. Plasma quercetin levels using HPLC-mass spectrometry Previous primary outcome measures: The primary outcome measures are assessed at baseline before quercetin, baseline before placebo, after 3 weeks of quercetin, after 3 weeks of placebo, after exercise with quercetin, and after exercise without quercetin, except where stated otherwise: 1. Total DNA damage measured using single-cell gel electrophoresis 2. Single-strand break DNA damage measured using single-cell gel electrophoresis with formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) enzyme incubation 3. Double-strand break DNA damage measured using dual staining immunohistochemistry for ?H2AX and 53BP1 foci 4. Lipid damage measured using the spectrophotometric lipid hydroperoxide assay 5. DNA repair gene expression (SIRT1, SIRT6, PARP1, RAD51, OGG1, XRCC1, etc.) measured using RT-qPCR 6. Telomere length measured using qPCR at baseline before quercetin, baseline before placebo, after 3 weeks of quercetin, and after 3 weeks of placebo | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| There are no secondary outcome measures | — |
Countries
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Contacts
Public ContactCiara Juan
Outcome results
None listed