Study of Ocean Rowing Muscle Metabolism. 1. What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability? (StORMM)

StORMM 1:What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? StORMM 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?

Little is known on the human adaptation to extreme endurance and with the increasing popularity in long duration events we seek to provide insight into the physiological and metabolic adaptation processes of ocean rowing.

Rowing 12-18 hours a day will illicit a high energy expenditure and anecdotally people have lost large amounts of body weight and variable amounts of muscle mass, particularly in the lower limbs. This may provide insights and a potential new model to to study muscle unloading.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exercise
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Ocean row

Detailed Description

Previous research has investigated factors determining muscle loss through bed rest and limb immobilisation. These methods are limited in that some do not include inflammation or changes in nutrition, which have been shown to be key drivers of muscle loss. These studies aim to investigate a potentially new model of muscle unloading.

Ocean rowing is an ultra-endurance sport where people spend 35-90 days at sea. Usually rowing for a minimum of 12 hours a day, in a 2-hour on/off shift pattern with daily food rations. Rowers lose body and muscle mass. There is likely to be low-grade inflammation, nutritional deficit, fatigue and rowers do not stand up for the entire crossing. Part 1 aims to quantify this muscle loss by inviting rowers in the annual 3000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 to take part. While part 2 aims to continue the work by measuring upper and core muscles as well as lower limb muscles from the first study with the aim of understanding how the body allocates resources in a hypocaloric, high energy expenditure environment.

Muscle mass of the lower limbs of the rowers will be measured with ultrasound, as well as body mass, body composition, energy expenditure and nutritional intake, the week before the race and immediately after arrival in Antigua. As well as adding novel insights to the knowledge base around factors affecting ultra endurance performance, the results will then be used to inform future intervention studies aimed at preventing muscle loss.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 60

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Devon
    • Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, EX2 4TH
      • University of Exeter

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy, fit and active males and females aged 18 and over

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 and 2021

Exclusion Criteria:

- lower limb amputee musculoskeletal, metabolic, neurological disease pacemaker fitted

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Energy Expenditure	Amount of kcals expended per day	5-7 days in final week of row
Calf Muscle thickness	Pre - Post measurements of calf muscle thickness	5-7 weeks
Energy Intake	Amount of kcals consumed per day	5-7 days in final week of row

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss between males and females	Absolute and relative differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss	5-7 weeks
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss in older vs younger rowers	Are there any age-related differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss	5-7 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Exeter
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Francis Stephens, University of Exeter

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 28, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 16, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 6, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): February 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 21, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 20, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ultra endurance; ocean rowing; doubly labelled water
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201021-A-08

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: no plan to share IPD

Drug and device information, study documents

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