Anaerobic Exercise and Mental Acuity

Anaerobic Exercise as a Modulator of Microbial Composition and Mental Acuity in Sedentary Men

This is a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of anaerobic activity (e.g., weight training) on gut microbiome metabolism and neurological health in healthy sedentary men.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Depression; Mood; LPS
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: weight training

Detailed Description

The human gut microbiome, which houses over 2,000 distinct bacterial species, has recently been characterized as a highly influential force on the health and longevity of its host. By way of several distinct pathways comprising the "microbiome-gut-brain axis", this diverse population is known to communicate with the human brain in a bidirectional manner and is implicated in the pathophysiology of several metabolic and psychological disease states. The ability to support a healthy, diverse microbiome through modifiable behavioral interventions - such as diet and exercise - is a topic of growing interest. Most of the evidence pertaining to the relationship between physical activity and the gut-brain axis at this time, however, investigates the influence of aerobic exercise providing limited insight to how other modalities of physical activity may differ. Specifically, this study will examine the impact of an 8-week weight training protocol on gut microbiome metabolism and neurological health in healthy sedentary men. Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group or the waitlist control group.

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

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Carol S Johnston; Phone Number: 602-496-2539; Email: carol.johnston@asu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arizona
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85004
      • Recruiting
      • 850 PBC
      • Contact: Carol S Johnston, PhD; Phone Number: 602-965-2539; Email: carol.johnston@asu.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• free of any existing medical diagnoses
• willing and able to participate in moderate to vigorous exercise as determined by the ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Preparticipation Screening Questionnaire
• sedentary (defined as a score <14 on the Godin-Shepard Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTQ))
• equipped with access to a complete gym

Exclusion Criteria:

• antibiotic use within the past six months
• prebiotic, probiotic, or high-dose antioxidant supplementation within the past 6 months
• smoker (cigarettes and/or marijuana)
• regular laxative use
• blood pressure >129/80 at baseline

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: weight training; A prescribed 8-week training protocol	Other: weight training; weight training
No Intervention: no prescribed weight training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
gut barrier integrity	serum LPS binding protein	change from baseline at week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
mood state	Depression score on Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) questionnaire. Scores range from 0-60, with scores >15 indicating an elevated risk of depression and scores >30 indicating elevated symptoms of depression that may influence the health of the individual	change from baseline at week 8

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
anaerobic capacity	wingate test	change from baseline at week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Arizona State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 15, 2023
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): October 15, 2023
• Study Completion (Anticipated): April 14, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 24, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): May 9, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2023
• Last Verified: May 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00017316

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