RECRUITING

Heat and Exercise in Aging as Therapy (HEAT)

Description

The main goal of this two-phase clinical trial is to learn whether local heat therapy, using heat pads applied to the legs, can enhance skeletal muscle health, physical function, and blood sugar control in a manner comparable to exercise, specifically High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), in older individuals with prediabetes. The study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Does local heat therapy improve muscle architecture (e.g., muscle cross-sectional area, capillary density, mitochondrial content), glucose tolerance, and frailty indicators similarly to HIIT in older individuals with prediabetes? 2. Does local heat therapy as a pre-conditioning method enhance the skeletal muscle response to HIIT in older individuals with prediabetes?

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

The main goal of this two-phase clinical trial is to learn whether local heat therapy, using heat pads applied to the legs, can enhance skeletal muscle health, physical function, and blood sugar control in a manner comparable to exercise, specifically High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), in older individuals with prediabetes. The study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Does local heat therapy improve muscle architecture (e.g., muscle cross-sectional area, capillary density, mitochondrial content), glucose tolerance, and frailty indicators similarly to HIIT in older individuals with prediabetes? 2. Does local heat therapy as a pre-conditioning method enhance the skeletal muscle response to HIIT in older individuals with prediabetes?

Glycemic Control and Frailty Risk in Older People at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: Impact of Local Heat Therapy

Heat and Exercise in Aging as Therapy (HEAT)

Condition
Prediabetic State
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Lubbock

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States, 79409

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.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Age ≥ 60 years
  • * Sedentary (structured exercise \<30 minutes, 3x/week)
  • * Body weight is at least 110 lbs
  • * Meet criteria for prediabetes (fasting blood glucose 100-125 mg/dl, hemoglobin A1c 5.7-6.4%)
  • * Consume \<8 (women) or \<15 (men) alcohol-containing beverages per week
  • * Do not use nicotine or cannabis
  • * Not taking any medications that could interfere with responses to the interventions (e.g., corticosteroids, opiates, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, beta blockers, sulfonylureas, insulin, metformin, anticoagulants, barbiturates, insulin sensitizers, fibrates, immunosuppressants). If you don't know, that's okay. We'll ask what medications you are on and check whether they fall into one of these categories.
  • * History of peripheral neuropathies
  • * Currently taking prescription blood thinners
  • * Medical complications that could would contraindicate participation in the high intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention including: orthopedic complications that would limit your ability to perform cycling exercise, significant cardiovascular impairments (e.g., history of arrhythmias, severe uncontrolled hypertension, etc.), diagnosed metabolic disease (e.g., diabetes), renal disease, sickle cell anemia, or cancer in remission for \<6 months.
  • * Known history of slow wound healing
  • * Lidocaine allergy
  • * Latex allergy
  • * Currently pregnant
  • * \>1.5" subcutaneous fat over the thigh muscle
  • * Symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, or renal diseases including discomfort, pressure, or pain in your chest, neck, jaw, arms, calves, or other areas potentially related to ischemia; shortness of breath at rest or with mild exertion; dizziness or fainting (syncope); difficulty breathing while lying flat (orthopnea) or sudden nighttime breathing difficulties (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea); palpitations or rapid heartbeat (tachycardia); pain or cramping in your legs during physical activity (intermittent claudication); a known heart murmur; swelling in your ankles (edema); unusual fatigue or shortness of breath during routine activities or at rest.

Ages Eligible for Study

60 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Texas Tech University,

Hui-Ying Luk, PhD; Danielle Levitt, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Texas Tech University

Study Record Dates

2029-07