Carnosine Loading and Periodized Training in MS and HC

The Impact of Carnosine Loading and Rehabilitation Therapy on Exercise Capacity in Multiple Sclerosis.

Increasing evidence favours exercise therapy as an efficient tool to counteract inactivity related secondary symptoms in MS. Furthermore, exercise therapy may affect MS-associated muscle contractile and energy supply dysfunctions. So far, low to moderate intensity exercise rehabilitation has shown to induce small but consistent improvements in several functional parameters. High intensity exercise training in MS seems to further improve this. However, although results are promising, impairments in both muscle contraction and energy supply probably attenuate therapy outcome. In keeping with the above described physiological role of skeletal muscle carnosine and because muscle carnosine content may be lower in MS, the primary aim of the present project is to investigate whether carnosine loading improves exercise therapy outcome (exercise capacity, body composition) and performance in MS. If the latter hypothesis can be confirmed, muscle carnosine loading could be a novel intervention to improve exercise capacity and muscle function in this population.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis; Exercise Therapy; Dietary Supplement
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Beta-alanine supplementation; Other: Exercise intervention

Detailed Description

Pilot data from the (co-)applicants' laboratories suggest that EAE rats (animal MS model) and MS-patients suffer from significantly reduced muscle carnosine levels compared to healthy counterparts. The potential of β-alanine supplementation to elevate muscle carnosine content has been shown in healthy volunteers. Furthermore, the investigators have recently investigated β-alanine and carnosine supplementation in EAE animals. In MS, this has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the researchers' next step is to investigate the impact of β-alanine intake on exercise performance in MS patients. The investigators hypothesize that oral β-alanine supplementation improves exercise therapy outcomes in MS patients.

So far, it is clear that β-alanine intake enhances exercise capacity of untrained, trained and aged individuals by improving contractile properties, maintaining higher intracellular energy levels and optimizing training adaptations. Because early fatigue of contracting musculature during rehabilitation is the predominant cause of exercise cessation, postponing exercise-induced fatigue by β-alanine supplementation will be clinically very relevant (improving exercise therapy efficiency). Consequently, the investigators aim to research the ergogenic potential of β-alanine intake in MS rehabilitation and hypothesize that β-alanine supplementation optimizes exercise therapy outcome (exercise capacity, muscle contractile characteristics) in this population.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Limburg
    • Diepenbeek, Limburg, Belgium, 3590
      • Hasselt University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

Diagnosis Multiple Sclerosis. Healthy control. Aged >18y. Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria:

Contraindications to perform moderate to high intensity exercise. Participation in another study. Experienced acute MS related exacerbation <6 months prior to start of the study EDSS score > 3.5

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: MS beta-alanine supplementation; Subjects will perform a 6-month exercise intervention and receive beta-alanine supplements.	Dietary supplement: Beta-alanine supplementation; The supplementation protocol of β-alanine (Etixx® Omega Pharma Belgium NV) involves oral intake of 4 x 800mg (3.2g/day29, 43) daily with at least 2h apart of slow-release β-alanine during the first 12 weeks. After this loading period, subjects will receive a maintenance dose of 2 x 800mg (1.6g/day) β-alanine for the remaining study duration.; Other: Exercise intervention; The exercise training program (6 months) involves 3 week cycles (week I-III). During week I, subjects will perform high volume moderate intensity cardiovascular cycle training (3x/week). Twice a week, subjects perform 3h training sessions (70-80% HRmax*) and once a week a 1.5h session will be executed (80-90% HRmax). During week II, subjects will perform low volume maximum intensity interval cycle training (3/w). High intensity interval cycle training (HIIT) will consist of 3x maximal sprints (90-100% HRmax) of 1.5min, interspersed with 3min rest intervals. A 5min standardized warming up and 5min cooling down will be performed. Week III involves a recovery week where subjects will perform one training session of 1.5h at an exercise intensity of 70-80% HRmax and one session of HIIT.
Placebo Comparator: MS placebo group; Subjects will perform a 6-month exercise intervention and receive placebo tablets.	Other: Exercise intervention; The exercise training program (6 months) involves 3 week cycles (week I-III). During week I, subjects will perform high volume moderate intensity cardiovascular cycle training (3x/week). Twice a week, subjects perform 3h training sessions (70-80% HRmax*) and once a week a 1.5h session will be executed (80-90% HRmax). During week II, subjects will perform low volume maximum intensity interval cycle training (3/w). High intensity interval cycle training (HIIT) will consist of 3x maximal sprints (90-100% HRmax) of 1.5min, interspersed with 3min rest intervals. A 5min standardized warming up and 5min cooling down will be performed. Week III involves a recovery week where subjects will perform one training session of 1.5h at an exercise intensity of 70-80% HRmax and one session of HIIT.
Experimental: HC beta-alanine supplementation; Subjects will perform a 6-month exercise intervention and receive beta-alanine supplements.	Dietary supplement: Beta-alanine supplementation; The supplementation protocol of β-alanine (Etixx® Omega Pharma Belgium NV) involves oral intake of 4 x 800mg (3.2g/day29, 43) daily with at least 2h apart of slow-release β-alanine during the first 12 weeks. After this loading period, subjects will receive a maintenance dose of 2 x 800mg (1.6g/day) β-alanine for the remaining study duration.; Other: Exercise intervention; The exercise training program (6 months) involves 3 week cycles (week I-III). During week I, subjects will perform high volume moderate intensity cardiovascular cycle training (3x/week). Twice a week, subjects perform 3h training sessions (70-80% HRmax*) and once a week a 1.5h session will be executed (80-90% HRmax). During week II, subjects will perform low volume maximum intensity interval cycle training (3/w). High intensity interval cycle training (HIIT) will consist of 3x maximal sprints (90-100% HRmax) of 1.5min, interspersed with 3min rest intervals. A 5min standardized warming up and 5min cooling down will be performed. Week III involves a recovery week where subjects will perform one training session of 1.5h at an exercise intensity of 70-80% HRmax and one session of HIIT.
Placebo Comparator: HC placebo group; Subjects will perform a 6-month exercise intervention and receive placebo tablets.	Other: Exercise intervention; The exercise training program (6 months) involves 3 week cycles (week I-III). During week I, subjects will perform high volume moderate intensity cardiovascular cycle training (3x/week). Twice a week, subjects perform 3h training sessions (70-80% HRmax*) and once a week a 1.5h session will be executed (80-90% HRmax). During week II, subjects will perform low volume maximum intensity interval cycle training (3/w). High intensity interval cycle training (HIIT) will consist of 3x maximal sprints (90-100% HRmax) of 1.5min, interspersed with 3min rest intervals. A 5min standardized warming up and 5min cooling down will be performed. Week III involves a recovery week where subjects will perform one training session of 1.5h at an exercise intensity of 70-80% HRmax and one session of HIIT.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
VO2max	Exercise capacity will be assessed using a maximal (12-lead ECG) graded cardiopulmonary exercise test (♂: 30W+15W/min, ♀: 20W+10W/min, GE eBike Basic®) with pulmonary gas exchange analysis (Jaeger Oxycon®). VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) will be monitored. This test will be performed at least 48 hours separated from the muscle strength test, to prevent interference of muscle fatigue. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) values will be evaluated to verify if the test was performed maximally (RER >1.1).	Before and after 6 months training (pre vs post)
Serum Lactate	During the exercise test, 2min capillary blood samples will be obtained to analyse blood lactate concentrations (Analox®) and determine the anaerobic threshold before, during and after exercise. Lactate max levels are the maximal concentrations measured during the test, whilst peak Lactate are the lactate concentrations following 2 minutes of rest after cessation of the maximal exercise test.	Before and after 6 months training (pre vs post)
Body Composition	Whole body fat and lean tissue mass will be obtained using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scan (DEXA) (Hologic Series Delphi-A Fan Beam X-ray Bone Densitometer, Vilvoorde, Belgium). A calibrated analogue weight balance (Seca®) will be used to measure total body mass.	Before and after 6 months training (pre vs post)
Strength Assessment Core Musculature	Back- and abdominal muscle strength will be assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer (System 3, Biodex, ENRAF-NONIUS, New York, USA). After adequate warming-up and movement familiarization, subjects will perform 3 maximal isometric contractions of back- and abdominal muscles for 4-5sec. The peak value of the 3 maximal contractions will be reported (peak back, and peak abdominal muscles).	Before and after 6 months training (pre vs post)
Workload	Exercise capacity will be assessed using a maximal (12-lead ECG) graded cardiopulmonary exercise test (♂: 30W+15W/min, ♀: 20W+10W/min, GE eBike Basic®) with pulmonary gas exchange analysis (Jaeger Oxycon®). VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) will be monitored. This test will be performed at least 48 hours separated from the muscle strength test, to prevent interference of muscle fatigue. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) values will be evaluated to verify if the test was performed maximally (RER >1.1).	Before and after 6 months training (pre vs post)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hasselt University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Bert O Eijnde, Hasselt University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 30, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): December 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 9, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): February 1, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 20, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2020
• Last Verified: April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Demyelinating Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Multiple Sclerosis; Sclerosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 17.09/REVA17.02

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No