4 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare betaine supplementation to placebo in firefighters undergoing live burn training regarding thermoregulation and inflammation. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does betaine supplementation mitigate rises in core temperature during firefighter live burn training? * Does betaine supplementation decrease inflammation from firefighter training? * Does betaine supplementation increase total body water stores? Participants will supplement with betaine for 1 month and complete: * Total Body Water measures * Body Composition measures * Live Burn training with Core Temperature Measurements * Provide Salivary samples
The purpose of the study is to determine whether there is a synergistic effect via combining both low-load blood flow restriction (BFR) training and betaine supplementation loading (6g/day for 14 days) on skeletal muscle anabolic signaling pathways that is mediated by enhancements in intracellular water. These effects are proposed to be greater than either BFR training or betaine supplementation alone or compared to control conditions (high-load non-occluded and/or placebo supplementation).
This will be a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover study designed to assess the impact of preloaded betaine supplementation on thermoregulation and exercise metabolism in the heat. The study, outlined in Figure 7 and described in detail below, will consist of seven total visits to the Institute of Sports Science and Medicine (ISSM) or Sandels laboratories at Florida State University, two of which will be experimental visits. On the first visit, participants will be informed as to the details of the study before giving their oral and written informed consent (Appendix A). Thereafter, anthropometrics will be measured and participants will complete an incremental exercise test on an electronically-braked cycle ergometer to volitional exhaustion to determine peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak). Days 1-6 participants will consume a full dosage of supplementation, whereas day 0 and 7 participants will consume half a dose of the supplement, with the last dosage being consumed 60 minutes prior to experimental visits, days 7 and 21. On days 2 and 4, familiarization trials will be completed to standardize training loads and to reduce any potential learning effect. These visits will be implemented in the heat. On day 7, participants will complete the first experimental trial described in detail below. Afterwards, participants will enter a seven day washout period 167 before crossing over to the second supplemental condition on day 14. On days 16 and 18, participants will undergo the same familiarization trials as they did on days 2 and 4. On day 21, participants will complete their second experimental trial. Each experimental trial will be separated by 14 days. This study will be approved by the Florida State University Insitutional Review Board (Appendix B).
Betaine is important in cellular metabolic pathways. Few epidemiologic studies link betaine levels to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Small human studies suggest benefit for non-alcoholic liver disease. In this study we will determine if administration of betaine improves metabolic measures, liver fat and/or endothelial function in humans with glucose intolerance who are overweight.