Iron-deficiency
Conditions
Brief summary
Female endurance athletes are susceptible to iron deficiency and this can impact their exercise performance. This study assesses the impact of an pea protein supplement with high iron bio-availability on iron status and exercise performance.
Detailed description
Female endurance athletes are susceptible to iron deficiency due to poor iron intake from diets or possibly because of destruction of red blood cells during foot-strike hemolysis. This study will evaluate the impact of 8-weeks of iron supplementation through consumption of a pea-protein power that has high iron bio-availability due to low phytate levels. This will be compared to consumption of regular iron protein powder and maltodextrin placebo by randomizing participants to three groups. Participants will be assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks of supplementation for exercise performance (maximal aerobic capacity and a 5 km time trial running test), blood levels of ferritin and hemoglobin, and body composition (fat mass and lean tissue mass).
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTLow phytate pea powder
Exercise performance with low phytate pea powder
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTRegular pea powder
Exercise performance with regular pea powder
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTPlacebo (maltodextrin)
Exercise performance with placebo (maltodextrin)
Sponsors
University of Saskatchewan
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
The powder supplements are being administered in a blinded manner. An individual who is separate from the rest of the research team will generate the allocation schedule and prepare the supplement packages so that participants, investigators, and outcome assessors are blinded. Statistical analysis will be blinded by coding of groups
Intervention model description
Participants are being randomized to three groups for the 8-week intervention: 1. Pea power with high iron bio-availability 2. Regular pea powder 3. Placebo (maltodextrin)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Female * Regularly participate in aerobic endurance training
Exclusion criteria
* Any contra-indications to exercise testing as determined with the Get Active Questionnaire
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline in ferritin levels | Up to 8 weeks | blood ferritin levels |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline in hemoglobin levels | Up to 8 weeks | Blood hemoglobin concentration |
| Change from baseline in maximal aerobic capacity | Up to 8 weeks | Maximal aerobic capacity (mL/kg/min) measured on a treadmill |
| Change from baseline in exercise time trial performance | Up to 8 weeks | Time (minutes) to complete 5 km running on a treadmill |
| Change from baseline in lean tissue mass | Up to 8 weeks | Lean tissue mass (kg) measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry |
| Change from baseline in fat mass | Up to 8 weeks | Fat mass (kg) measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed