Effects of Rutin on Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Markers, and Blood Flow Velocity During Cycling 40km Time Trial Performance

Effects of Rutin on Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Markers, and Blood Flow Velocity During Cycling 40km Time Trial Performance: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Rutin has several health benefits like improving total antioxidant capacity(TAC), inducing more nitric oxide(NO) produced from endothelium, and anti-inflammatory. Studies show rutin can enhance sport performance in mouse, but there isn't any human trail suggests that rutin can improve sport performance in high-stressed state. Purpose: This study want to investigated the effects of rutin on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, and blood flow velocity in 40km time trial. Method: A single-blinded crossover placebo-controlled study design is used and rutin supplementation is compared to a non-treatment control group. Twelve subjects are randomly assigned into two groups supplemented with the dose of 2000mg/day rutin or placebo for two weeks. All subjects participate 40km cycling time trails(TT) after rutin or placebo supplement. Venous blood samples are drawn before meal, before exercise and immediately after the exercise in order to estimate malondialdehyde(MDA) levels, TAC, Interleukin 10(IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-a), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(HS-CRP). In TT, blood flow velocity is monitored by near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS) and HR rating of perceived exertion(RPE) and rating-of-fatigue (ROF) scale are also recorded. Expected results:14 days rutin supplementation can improve 40km TT performance by reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress and enhancing blood flow velocity in healthy young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthly Volunteers
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Placebo (Placebo trial); Other: Rutin (Rutin trial)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taichung, Taiwan, 404332
    • China Medical University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recruit people who are healthy are 18-25 years male and have regular exercise habits in college students

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have smoking and drinking habits.
• Those who have implanted artificial joints in the past six months and have had recent surgery.
• People who feel unwell due to other reasons during the experiment.
• Take any drugs or Nutrition supplements in the past 3 months.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Containing edible yellow No. 4, edible yellow No. 5, sucrose, silica, talc, oxidized starch, gelatin, magnesium stearate, and palm wax.	Other: Placebo (Placebo trial); The placebo capsule supplement was taken for 14 days (4 capsules per day); Other: Rutin (Rutin trial); The rutin capsule supplement was taken for 14 days, with a daily dosage of 2000 mg of rutin (equivalent 4 to capsules per day, each containing 500 mg of rutin).
Experimental: Rutin; Each capsule containing 500 mg of rutin	Other: Placebo (Placebo trial); The placebo capsule supplement was taken for 14 days (4 capsules per day); Other: Rutin (Rutin trial); The rutin capsule supplement was taken for 14 days, with a daily dosage of 2000 mg of rutin (equivalent 4 to capsules per day, each containing 500 mg of rutin).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
40 km cycling time trial	Investigators conducted a double-blind test, where volunteers' basal maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was measured both before the intervention. The pretest VO2max is a reference to adjust the exercise intensity for each individual. To assess volunteers' aerobic endurance capacity by 40km cycling time trail(40km TT), participants exercised at 55% VO2max, and the cycling time from the start to 40km was recorded.	14 days
Near infrared spectroscopy	Near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS)(Moxy, Fortiori Design LLC, Minnesota, USA) can non-invasively observe blood oxygenation and blood flow through infrared light. Before the exercise, NIRS was fixed on the subject's thigh. During 40km time trial, blood flow velocity was collected by NIRS.	14 days
Rating-of-fatigue (ROF) scale	The Rating of Fatigue Scale measures perceived fatigue during or after exercise. Participants rate fatigue from 0 (no fatigue) to 10 (extreme fatigue). A higher score indicates greater fatigue (worse condition).	14 days
The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion(RPE) Scale	The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale measures how hard exercise feels. Participants rate effort from 6 (no exertion) to 20 (maximal exertion). A higher score means greater effort (worse fatigue).	14 days
Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) Concentration	A pro-inflammatory cytokine measured in serum using a commercial ELISA kit (BioLegend) to evaluate the inflammatory response.Unit of Measure: Picograms per milliliter (pg/mL)	14 days
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Activity	biomarker used to evaluate total antioxidant capacity. Serum SOD activity is measured using a commercial colorimetric assay kit and read with an ELISA plate reader.Unit of Measure: Units per milliliter (U/mL).	14 days
Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Activity	A biomarker of muscle damage measured in serum using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer (Beckman Coulter AU5800). Unit of Measure: Units per Liter (U/L)	14 days
Serum Creatine Kinase (CK) Concentration	A biomarker of muscle damage measured in serum using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer (Beckman Coulter AU5800). Unit of Measure: Units per Liter (U/L)	14 days
Malondialdehyde (MDA) Levels	A standard biomarker of lipid peroxidation. Serum MDA levels are determined using a commercial ELISA kit to assess oxidative stress status. Unit of Measure: micromolar (μM)	14 days
High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein(HS-CRP) Concentration	A biomarker of inflammation measured in serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a microplate reader. Unit of Measure: milligrams per liter (mg/L).	14 days
Uric Acid (UA) Levels	Measured in serum as a marker of metabolic stress and muscle damage using commercial analytical reagents. Unit of Measure: Milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).	14 days
Serum Interleukin-10 (IL-10) Concentration	Measured in serum as a marker of metabolic stress and muscle damage using commercial analytical reagents. Unit of Measure: Milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).	14 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: China Medical University Hospital
• Collaborators: China Medical University, China; National Science and Technology Council
• Investigators: Study Chair: Jung-Piao Tsao, China Medical University, China

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 30, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 22, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 17, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 6, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 6, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Oxidative stress; Ergogenic aids; rutin; 40km time trial
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Pyrans; Benzopyrans; Flavonols; Flavonoids; Chromones; Rutin
• Other Study ID Numbers: CMUH113-REC3-119

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