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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01687361

Can Branched Chain Amino Acids Supplementation Reduce Muscle Damage Induced by Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation? A Combined Functional and Metabolic Non-invasive Investigation in Healthy Humans

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is commonly used in rehabilitation contexts in order to increase or restore muscle capacities of hypoactive patients or patients with articular trauma. Although this technique seems to be particularly adapted to muscle rehabilitation, growing evidence is emerging regarding potential damaging effects of electrically- induced isometric contractions in healthy humans. Recent studies have reported a 10 to 30-fold increase in creatine kinase (CK) activity coupled to significantly increased muscle soreness and impaired force production as a result of NMESs. On that basis, further studies should be conducted on these deleterious effects which might limit the clinical application of NMES.

Over the last decade, many studies paid attention to branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation as a potential prophylactic/therapeutic approach. The rationale of this approach is that BCAA might increase protein synthesis and reduce protein breakdown through physiological mechanisms involving mTOR regulation pathway (mammalian Target of Rapamycin). Additionally, BCAA could also be used as energetic substrate during exercise when glycogen stores are depleted. Overall, previous results have supported the efficacy of BCAA supplementation in attenuating muscle damage. Nevertheless, comprehensive studies investigating the effect of amino acid supplementation on markers of muscle damage are still scarce.

Magnetic resonance imaging (IRM) and phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) are powerful non invasive tools allowing the exploration of skeletal muscle structure and energy metabolism.

This ambitious project is devoted to the anatomical, functional and metabolic characterization of BCAA supplementation after NMES using MRI and 31P-MRS. Various markers of muscle damage, including maximal voluntary force production, T2 values and apparent diffusion coefficient (obtained by MRI) and energy metabolism assessed at rest and during exercise (using 31P-MRS), will be obtained before and after NMES. This project is of utmost importance for improving our knowledge of anatomic, metabolic and functional events related to BCAA supplementation in the context of exercise-induced muscle damage

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Key information

Conditions

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Age range

18 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Marseille

Marseille, 13354, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male
  • Between 18 and 35 years
  • Subjects will have to be unhurt:
  • Any general disease
  • Psychiatric disorders(confusions)
  • Any infectious, inflammatory, tumoral, vascular, degenerative or traumatic pathology
  • They will have to follow no chronic treatment
  • They will have to be unhurt of any history of alcoholism or drug addiction

Exclusion criteria

  • Contraindications for an examination MRI
  • Suffering from claustrophobia
  • Having stimulating one cardiac, carriers of a system Holter, carriers of hook(staple) (clip) surgical metallic, carriers of a prosthesis or a metallic implant (or quite other metallic foreign bodies), carriers of a prosthesis dental (device), carriers of a hearing aid, carriers of an insulin pump
  • Having been hurt by pieces of shrapnel or lead
  • Having had a dislocation, a fracture or a recent surgical operation (less than 6 months before the inclusion)
  • Having followed a treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs during the last 3 months
  • Having followed a treatment with amino acids during the last 3 months
  • Having followed a treatment(processing) with anabolic steroids during the last 3 months
  • Having participated in a program of body-building of lower limbs during the last 6 months

Treatment and study plan

branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation

Dietary Supplement

Placebo

Drug

Primary outcomes

  1. evaluation of the muscular responsiveness

    Time frame: 24 MONTHS

Secondary outcomes

  1. evaluation of the effects of a supplementation in AAB

    Time frame: 24 MONTTHS

    on the physiological aspects

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Can Branched Chain Amino Acids Supplementation Reduce Muscle Damage Induced by Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation ? A Combined Functional and Metabolic Non-invasive Investigation in Healthy Humans.

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2014
First posted
Sep 18, 2012
Registry last updated
Sep 1, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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