Stressors and Recovery Regulation on the Super-compensation Effect

March 4, 2024 updated by: National Yang Ming University

Influence of Stressors and Recovery Regulation on the Super-compensation Effect of Endurance Athletes After High-intensity Intensive Training

Purpose: Investigating the effects of stressors and recovery regulation on the super-compensation effect of high-intensity intensive training (IT) in endurance athletes. Methods: This study will recruit 176 competitively trained endurance adult athletes. Participants will conduct a 7-week 3-stage experiment, including 3 weeks of regular training, 3 weeks of 130% progressive IT, and 1 week of 55% taper. Measurement will include training responses (performance and fatigue symptoms), stressors, recovery regulation, and mood state at baseline, during and after regular training, IT, and taper separately. According to the performance after taper, all participants will category into either the responder or non-responder of well-response to supercompensation effect. Statistic analysis: Independent t-test, Chi-squared test, and binary logistic regression will be used to compare the difference in training responses, stressors, recovery regulation, and mood state characteristics between responder and non-responder groups. P value sets at 0.15 for identifying the potential predictors. Logistic stepwise multiple regression will be used further to determine the significant predictors for the responders of well-response to the super-compensation among endurance athletes. P value sets at 0.05.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

  • Research problems and motivation:

    (1) Research problems: Currently, the primary challenge in sports training monitoring resides in the disparity of responses among athletes to identical high-intensity, high-volume training stimuli (e.g., total distance, frequency, intensity, workload) (Aubry et al., 2015; Aubry et al., 2014; Bellinger, 2020; Le Meur et al., 2014; Le Meur et al., 2013). Despite the widespread dissemination of preventative strategies for overtraining syndrome among coaches and athletes in current sports science research, non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome continue to exhibit a prevalence of approximately 19% to 30% in recent years.

    (2) Research motivation: Recent studies have found that following high-intensity, high-volume training, approximately 45.5% to 100% of individuals are categorized as athletes who fail to recover and show poor responses adequately (Aubry et al., 2015; Aubry et al., 2014; Bellenger, Karavirta, et al., 2016; Bellenger et al., 2017; Bellinger, 2020; Fuller et al., 2017; Le Meur et al., 2013; Woods et al., 2018). This phenomenon may be influenced by factors such as inadequate individual recovery capacity or excessive external stressors. Hence, there is an increased emphasis on understanding individual differences, including stressors and recovery regulatory characteristics. By observing the differences between athletes who successfully improve their performance (responders) and those who do not (non-responders) following high-intensity, high-volume training, it may be possible to enhance the precision of future applications of high-intensity, high-volume training in terms of effectiveness and safety.

  • Study purpose and hypotheses:

    1. The purpose of this study are two:

      1. To investigate the training responses (sports performance and fatigue symptoms) post-intervention among endurance athletes who exhibit either compensatory training effects (responders) or fail to show such effects (non-responders) following high-intensity, high-volume training. Additionally, it will examine the differences in stressors, recovery regulatory, and emotional state characteristics between these two groups during the intervention period.
      2. To explore the impact of stressors and recovery regulatory characteristics on the presence or absence of compensatory effects following high-intensity, high-volume training among endurance athletes who either respond well or poorly to the intervention. The aim is to understand, through a simple yet comprehensive sideline measurement approach, the characteristics of athletes regarding their ability to adequately recover from fatigue states induced by high-intensity, high-volume training.

    2. The hypotheses of this study:

      1. Endurance athletes who exhibit either compensatory training effects (responders) or fail to show such effects (non-responders) in sports performance are expected to significantly differ in their training responses (sports performance and fatigue symptoms), stressors, recovery regulatory characteristics, and emotional state characteristics.
      2. Certain stressors and recovery regulatory characteristics are expected to have a significant influence on whether endurance athletes exhibit favorable compensatory training effects following high-intensity, high-volume training.

  • Study procedure:

    1. Study procedures:

      The study will involve a 7-week experimental protocol divided into 3 phases: 3 weeks of regular training, 3 weeks of gradually increasing high-intensity training at 130%, and 1 week of reduced training at 55% (Bellinger, 2020). Athletes will undergo assessments before, during, and after each phase, including regular training, high-intensity training, and reduced training, to evaluate training responses (sports performance and fatigue symptoms), stressors, recovery regulatory characteristics, and emotional state. Based on athletes' sports performance after the reduced training phase, they will be categorized into two groups: those with favorable compensatory training effects (response group) and those without (non-response group). The detailed weekly training volume design is as follows:

      Stage One: 3 weeks of maintaining participants' regular training habits.

      Stage Two: 3 weeks of high-intensity training (increasing by 10% each week):

      Stage Three: 1 week of reduced training (gradually reduced to 55% of participants' regular training volume): Decrease current training volume followed by 20%, 15%, 10%, 10%, 10%, 5%, and 5% each day.

    (4) Measurement instruments: This study will utilize questionnaires and maximal exercise testing for measurement.

    1. Questionnaire Survey: Participants will be asked to complete the Chinese versions of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) (Hsu, Chang, & Lu, 2003) and the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport) (Chen & Ji, 2002) after each week of training (e.g., every Saturday or Sunday). These questionnaires represent the participants' emotional states and stress-recovery regulatory characteristics. The total questionnaire will be administered 7 times, each session taking approximately 20 minutes.
    2. Maximal exercise testing: Maximal exercise testing will be conducted before and after each stage of the study, including at the beginning of the experiment, after the third week, after the fourth week, after the sixth week, and after the seventh week, totaling 5 maximal exercise tests. Each testing session will take approximately 30 minutes.

  • Data collection:

    1. Measurement of Personal Data and Other Relevant Factors:

      1. Personal Data: Before the commencement of the experiment, participants will be asked to complete a personal information form in paper format. This form will record all participants' basic information, including age, height, weight, gender, education level, exercise level, sports specialization, sports performance, medical history, dietary habits, and sleep habits. Additionally, information on risk factors for overtraining syndrome (including exercise performance and fatigue symptoms) and other similar symptomatic diseases (including primary viral diseases, bacterial infections, related inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism) will be collected to gather participants' baseline characteristics and exclude overtraining syndrome and other similar symptomatic diseases.
      2. Training Records: During the experiment, all participants' daily training records (including training activities, intensity, and volume) will be electronically recorded to ensure that the expected training intensity is achieved during high-intensity training sessions.

    2. Primary Outcome Measures:

      1. Training response:

        - Performance: This study will conduct progressive maximal exercise tests, including before the experiment starts and after the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh weeks, totaling 5 tests. The results will record participants' resting heart rate, peak power output, maximum heart rate, maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, and perceived fatigue index. The tests will be conducted using a progressive resistance cycle ergometer (Corival CPET, LODE, Netherlands). During the test, participants will undergo a 5-minute warm-up at 50 watts with a self-selected pace, followed by a progressive maximal cycle ergometer test. The test will start at 50 watts and increase by 20 watts every minute until the participant cannot maintain a pedaling speed above 10 seconds. After the test, the intensity will be reduced to 50 watts, and participants will pedal at a self-selected pace for 2 minutes, followed by an inquiry about their perceived fatigue index.

      2. Symptom Response:

        • Fatigue Symptoms: Participants will fill out the Chinese version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire after each week's training (e.g., on Sundays), recording their feelings over the past week. The abbreviated Chinese version of the POMS contains 37 mood-related adjectives and takes approximately 3 to 7 minutes to complete. The fatigue subscale score will reflect participants' fatigue symptoms.
        • Emotional State: Participants will complete the Chinese version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, and the total score for emotional disturbance (= tension + depression + anger + confusion + fatigue - vigor) will be calculated to indicate their overall negative emotional disturbance state.

      3. Stress Recovery Regulation:

        • Stress Sources: Participants will fill out the Chinese version of the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport) after each week's training (e.g., on Sundays), recording their feelings over the past three days. The abbreviated Chinese version of the RESTQ-Sport contains 52 items and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. General stress and specific sport-related stress scores will reflect participants' stress source characteristics.
        • Recovery Regulation: Participants will complete the Chinese version of the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport), and scores for general recovery and specific sport-related recovery will be calculated to reflect their recovery regulation characteristics.

  • Statistical analysis

    1. Firstly, this study will utilize independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression analyses to compare potential differences between the response (exercise performance and fatigue symptoms), stress sources, recovery regulation, and emotional states of the response and non-response groups. The significance level (P-value) will be set at 0.15.
    2. Secondly, logistic stepwise regression analysis will be employed to identify stress sources and recovery regulation characteristics that significantly influence endurance athletes with or without responses after high-intensity interval training. The significance level (P-value) will be set at 0.05.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

158

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Taiwan
      • Taipei, Taiwan, 112304
        • Recruiting
        • Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Athletes aged 18 or above with endurance-type competitive sports experience. For instance, athletes who have participated in track events of 400 meters or longer, marathons, road cycling, swimming, rowing, race walking, triathlons, orienteering, and similar competitive events.
  • A habitual training regimen of at least 6 hours per week. For instance, training three times a week for at least 2 hours each session.
  • Minimum of 3 years of training experience, such as being part of a school team or a specialized athlete.
  • No severe injuries within the past year. For instance, severe non-regenerative anemia, craniotomy due to cerebral aneurysm, acute myocardial infarction, severe hepatic cirrhosis, severe systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis, severe rheumatoid arthritis, severe head trauma, and similar conditions.
  • Not taking substances affecting athletic, physiological, and psychological performance. For instance, unauthorized drugs, prohibited substances, growth hormones like somatotropin and related substances, β2 agonists, hormone and metabolic modulators, diuretics, masking agents, stimulants, anesthetics, cannabis, adrenal corticosteroids, and similar substances.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of an illness resembling symptoms of overtraining syndrome in the week before the start of the experiment. This includes primary viral illnesses, bacterial infections, associated inflammatory diseases, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism.
  • Suspected symptoms of high-risk overtraining syndrome in the week preceding the experiment, such as persistent fatigue or exhaustion, unexplained significant decrease in athletic performance exceeding 10%.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Screening
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Regular training
Participants maintain their regular training habits for 3 weeks.
Experimental: High-intensity intensive training
Participants increase their regular regular training volume by 10% each week for 3 weeks.
Other: High-intensity intensive training

Participants will conduct a 3-weeks of 130% progressive high-intensity intensive training (increasing by 10% each week).

Week 1: Increase training to 110% of participants' regular training volume. Week 2: Increase training to 120% of participants' regular training volume. Week 3: Increase training to 130% of participants' regular training volume.
Experimental: Taper
Participants gradually reduced to 55% of their regular training volume for 1 week.
Other: Taper

Participants will conduct a 1-week taper phase by gradually reducing to 55% of their regular training volume.

Day 1: Decrease current training volume by 20%. Day 2: Decrease current training volume by 15%. Day 3: Decrease current training volume by 10%. Day 4: Decrease current training volume by 10%. Day 5: Decrease current training volume by 10%. Day 6: Decrease current training volume by 5%. Day 7: Decrease current training volume by 5%.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stressor
Time Frame: Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
The stress score of the recovery-stress questionnaire for athletes (RESTQ-sport) questionnaire.
Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
Recovery regulation
Time Frame: Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
The recovery score of the recovery-stress questionnaire for athletes (RESTQ-sport) questionnaire.
Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
Mood state
Time Frame: Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
The total score of the Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire.
Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
Peak power output
Time Frame: Baseline, the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th week
The peak power output at the end of an incremental exercise test.
Baseline, the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th week

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximal heart rate
Time Frame: Baseline, the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th week
The maximal heart rate at the end of an incremental exercise test.
Baseline, the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th week
Fatigue state
Time Frame: Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)
The fatigue score of the Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire.
Pre-test and the following 7 weeks (follow up once a week)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Yang Ming University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Mei-Wun Tsai, Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 31, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 20, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

March 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 6, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2024

Last Verified

November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • NYCU112130AE

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

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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