Effects of Eggshell Membrane and Curcumin Extract Supplementation, Separately or Combined, on Recovery From Intense Exercise

August 10, 2026 updated by: ESM Technologies, LLC

Effects of NEM® Brand Eggshell Membrane and curQ+® Brand Highly Absorbable Curcumin Supplementation, Alone or in Combination, on Recovery From Intense Exercise in Recreationally Active Men.

Eggshell membrane and Curcumin supplementation prior to intense exercise may reduce inflammation, muscle and joint pain, and promote recovery. This proof-of-concept study will examine how ingestion of specially formulated versions of these nutrients affects recovery from intense exercise.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Eggshell membrane (EM) is derived from the inner fibrous layer of eggs that contain a number of proteins and Types I, V, and X collagen and sulfur containing amino acids (i.e., e.g., methionine, cysteine), glycosaminoglycans (e.g., hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate) that are found in synovium, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons of human joint tissue. Initial studies have shown that EM supplementation reduces inflammation and perception of pain while improving markers of joint health in individuals with osteoarthritis. Curcumin (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) that contains polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that curcumin (Curc) can reduce inflammation related to osteoarthritis, exercise, concussion and traumatic brain injury. Theoretically, EM and Curc supplementation prior to intense exercise may reduce inflammation, perceptions of muscle and joint pain, and promote recovery. This proof-of-concept study will examine how ingestion of specially formulated versions of these nutrients (NEM® brand eggshell membrane and curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin) separately and in combination affects recovery from intense exercise in recreationally active men.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

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

  • United States
    • Texas
      • College Station, Texas, United States, 77843
        • Recruiting
        • Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab - Texas A&M University
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Richard B. Kreider, Ph.D.

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:

  • Age 18 to 40 at the time of consent.
  • Healthy and recreationally active.
  • Ability to comply with study procedures.
  • Agree to refrain from alcohol intake and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS), aspirin, and other over-the-counter pain medications for 48 hours prior to and after completion of each testing session.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No recent history of exercise training
  • An orthopedic limitation that would prevent the ability to perform the exercise intervention.
  • Participants who currently smoke cigarettes.
  • Known allergies to eggs, sulfur, or curcumin.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active, EM
500 mg/day of NEM® brand eggshell membrane powder in a single #0 capsule.
Dietary supplement: NEM® brand eggshell membrane powder
500 mg/day of NEM® brand eggshell membrane powder in a single #0 capsule.
Dietary supplement: Curc Placebo
2,860 mg/day of coconut oil/polysorbate blend in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Experimental: Active, curc
2,860 mg/day of curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Dietary supplement: curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin
2,860 mg/day of curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Dietary supplement: EM Placebo
500 mg/day of psyllium husk fiber powder in a single #0 capsule.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
500 mg/day of psyllium husk fiber powder in a single #0 capsule PLUS 2,860 mg/day of coconut oil/polysorbate blend in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Dietary supplement: Curc Placebo
2,860 mg/day of coconut oil/polysorbate blend in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Dietary supplement: EM Placebo
500 mg/day of psyllium husk fiber powder in a single #0 capsule.
Experimental: Active, EM+Curc
500 mg/day of NEM® brand eggshell membrane powder in a single #0 capsule PLUS 2,860 mg/day of curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin in a single 10 Oval softgel.
Dietary supplement: NEM® plus curQ+® combination
500 mg/day of NEM® brand eggshell membrane powder in a single #0 capsule PLUS 2,860 mg/day of curQ+® brand highly absorbable curcumin in a single 10 Oval softgel.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
VAS Muscle Soreness Rating
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Changes in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ratings of muscle soreness (rated from zero to 100 mm) from baseline following intense exercise. The higher the rating, the more muscle soreness so negative changes in VAS would equate to improvement.
2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Urinary CTX-II
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Changes in urinary CTX-II biomarker from baseline following intense exercise.
2 weeks
Muscle Damage
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Changes in markers of muscle enzyme efflux/damage (CK, LDH) from baseline following intense exercise.
2 weeks
Exercise Performance
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Changes in exercise performance (strength, muscular endurance, peak aerobic capacity) from baseline following intense exercise.
2 weeks
Inflammation Biomarkers
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Changes in markers of inflammation (TNFα, interleukin (IL) cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) from baseline following intense exercise.
2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

ESM Technologies, LLC

Collaborators

Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab, Texas A&M University

Investigators

  • Study Director: Kevin J. Ruff, Ph.D., ESM Technologies, LLC
  • Principal Investigator: Richard B. Kreider, Ph.D., Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab, Texas A&M University

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)

February 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 10, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 10, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STUDY2025-0899

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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