Anti-inflammatory Effects of Curcumin, Ginger and Piperine Supplementation in Ultra-trail Runners: a Double-blind Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial (ECUM-RUN)

ECUM-RUN is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial evaluating whether a 30-day oral supplementation with curcumin, ginger, and piperine (9-5-1 formulation) reduces exercise-induced joint pain and inflammatory markers in 82 ultra-trail runners competing in the Diagonale des Fous (175 km). The primary endpoint is the change in knee pain (VAS score) between end of supplementation and race finish, compared between intervention and placebo groups.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Joint Pains
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: 9-5-1; Dietary supplement: Placebo

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Nicolas BOUSCAREN, Dr; Phone Number: +33262353530; Email: Nicolas.BOUSCAREN@chu-reunion.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years at inclusion
• Registered for "La Diagonale des Fous" (Grand Raid de La Réunion, 175 km, 2026 edition)
• Free, informed, signed consent obtained prior to any study-related procedure
• Availability to participate in the full protocol, including preliminary consultations and biological sampling at all time points (T0 to T3)
• Affiliated with or beneficiary of a social security scheme
• Ability to understand and follow study instructions (sufficient French language level, or assistance available)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Regular NSAID use in the 30 days prior to inclusion, defined as intake at least 3 days/week for at least 2 consecutive weeks, or ongoing treatment at the time of inclusion
• Regular use of curcumin-containing supplements or "9-5-1"-type preparations in the 30 days prior to inclusion, defined as intake at least 3 days/week for at least 2 consecutive weeks
• Taking anticoagulant treatment
• History of hepatic, biliary, or pancreatic disease, including: gallstones, cholestasis, acute or chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis
• Known allergy or documented hypersensitivity to any capsule component: turmeric, curcumin, ginger, black pepper, maltodextrin, or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC)
• Chronic inflammatory joint disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis) under active specific treatment
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Participation in another biomedical study involving a therapeutic intervention within the 30 days prior to inclusion
• Severe cognitive or psychiatric impairment preventing understanding of the protocol or completion of questionnaires
• Patient under guardianship/curatorship or subject to a legal protection order

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Control	Dietary supplement: Placebo; Capsule excipients are maltodextrin and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), allowing an identical-appearing placebo for double-blind conditions.
Experimental: 9-5-1	Dietary supplement: 9-5-1; The investigational intervention is an oral food-supplement capsule combining curcumin, ginger, and piperine in a proprietary "9-5-1" ratio (curcuma extract : ginger extract : black pepper/piperine extract), administered as 4 capsules per day for 30 consecutive days prior to the race.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Knee Pain Intensity from End of Supplementation to Race Finish (Visual Analog Scale)	Knee pain is self-assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 0-10 cm) at the end of the 30-day supplementation period (T1, day before the race) and immediately at race finish or withdrawal (T2). The primary outcome is the within-participant change in VAS score (T2 minus T1), compared between the curcumin-ginger-piperine (9-5-1) group and the placebo group.	From Day 30 (T1, end of the 30-day supplementation period) to race finish or withdrawal (T2) - up to approximately 60 hours later, corresponding to the maximum allowed race duration.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Kinetics of Joint Pain Across the Study Period (Ankles, Knees, Hips)	Pain intensity at the ankles, knees, and hips is self-assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS, 0-10 cm) at each of the four measurement time points. Between-group differences (intervention vs. placebo) in the T2-T1 change are compared, and a mixed linear model is used to describe the overall pain trajectory from T0 to T3, accounting for repeated within-participant measures.	(T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in Joint Range of Motion (Ankles, Knees, Hips)	Range of motion for each joint movement (in degrees) is measured by goniometry, separately for each joint and side, at each of the four time points. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change in range of motion are compared for each joint tested.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in circulating pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (pg/mL)	Venous blood samples are collected at each study visit to measure serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1ra and IL-10 and TNF-α concentrations. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each cytokine, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in Inflammatory biomarkers (ng/mL)	Venous blood samples are collected to measure serum calprotectin, resistin, and leptin concentrations. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each biomarker, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in serum enzyme activity (U/L)	Venous blood samples are collected to measure serum creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each enzyme, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Oxidative stress and adiponectin (µmol/L)	Venous blood samples are collected to measure serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and adiponectin. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each enzyme, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Changein serum creatinine (µmol/L)	Venous blood samples are collected to measure serum creatinine. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each enzyme, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in blood urea (mmol/L)	Venous blood samples are collected to measure in blood urea. Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each enzyme, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Change in coagulation parameters	Venous blood samples are collected to assess prothrombin time (PT, %) and international normalized ratio (INR). Between-group differences in the T2-T1 change are compared for each parameter, and mixed linear models describe their kinetics across T0-T3	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Clinical tolerance	Clinical tolerance is assessed at each study visit by recording digestive symptoms, allergic reactions, and other adverse events.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)
Biological safety laboratory parameters	Biological safety is assessed using routine laboratory parameters evaluating liver function, renal function, and coagulation throughout the study.	Baseline (T0, before supplementation) to Day 2 post-race or post-withdrawal (T3)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Réunion

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): September 14, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 2, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 8, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 8, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Joint Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Arthralgia
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025/RUN/0056; 2026-A00478-43 (Other Identifier: ID-RCB)

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