Effects of Citrulline on Gut Functioning During Excercise

During exercise, splanchnic perfusion is compromised, resulting in organ damage in healthy individuals. Improving the availability of NO might result increase splanchnic perfusion and prevent organ damage during exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Hypoperfusion; Gastrointestinal; Gut Damage
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Citrulline; Dietary supplement: alanine

Detailed Description

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays an important role in the human body. The wall of the GI system regulates digestion and absorption of nutrients and it also has a very important function as a barrier between internal and external environment. The penetration of harmful substances and microbiota of the GI lumen (external environment) to the systemic circulation (internal environment) depends on this barrier. Previous studies have shown that exercise in healthy subjects provides hypoperfusion of the splanchnic area, resulting in intestinal damage, increased small intestinal permeability and liver damage. Similar splanchnic hypoperfusion occurs in patients with compromised circulation.

During episodes of splanchnic hypoperfusion, the de novo synthesis of nitric oxide (nitric oxide, NO) from arginine is compromised. This impaired NO synthesis may play a role in the development of organ dysfunction during exercise. L-citrulline administration, a precursor of arginine and NO, may result in improved NO availability and organ perfusion, thereby preventing organ damage.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Limburg
    • Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands, 6202 AZ
      • Maastricht University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• male
• age 18-35 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• not healthy
• use of medication or related products
• alcohol misuse
• smoking

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: citrulline	Dietary supplement: Citrulline; single dose
Placebo Comparator: alanine	Dietary supplement: alanine; single dose

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
GI perfusion	2 hours
gut damage	5 hours
microcirculation	5 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
liver damage	5 hours
kidney damage	5 hours
amino acid analysis	5 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Maastricht University Medical Center
• Collaborators: Top Institute Food and Nutrition

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): January 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Anticipated): February 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 10, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 10, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): November 11, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): November 8, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 7, 2011
• Last Verified: November 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: MEC10-3-064