ExerciseStORMMNCT05729841
Study of Ocean Rowing Muscle Metabolism. 1. What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?
An observational study of Exercise, run by University of Exeter at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
Little is known on the human adaptation to extreme endurance and with the increasing popularity in long duration events we seek to provide insight into the physiological and metabolic adaptation processes of ocean rowing. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise
- What is being tested?
- Ocean row
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 28 Nov 2020to 1 Apr 2024
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Healthy, fit and active males and females aged 18 and over
Who may be able to join
- Taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 and 2021
Who cannot join
- lower limb amputee musculoskeletal, metabolic, neurological disease pacemaker fitted
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: StORMM 1:What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? StORMM 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?
Little is known on the human adaptation to extreme endurance and with the increasing popularity in long duration events we seek to provide insight into the physiological and metabolic adaptation processes of ocean rowing.
Rowing 12-18 hours a day will illicit a high energy expenditure and anecdotally people have lost large amounts of body weight and variable amounts of muscle mass, particularly in the lower limbs. This may provide insights and a potential new model to to study muscle unloading.
Read the detailed description
Previous research has investigated factors determining muscle loss through bed rest and limb immobilisation. These methods are limited in that some do not include inflammation or changes in nutrition, which have been shown to be key drivers of muscle loss. These studies aim to investigate a potentially new model of muscle unloading.
Ocean rowing is an ultra-endurance sport where people spend 35-90 days at sea. Usually rowing for a minimum of 12 hours a day, in a 2-hour on/off shift pattern with daily food rations. Rowers lose body and muscle mass. There is likely to be low-grade inflammation, nutritional deficit, fatigue and rowers do not stand up for the entire crossing. Part 1 aims to quantify this muscle loss by inviting rowers in the annual 3000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 to take part. While part 2 aims to continue the work by measuring upper and core muscles as well as lower limb muscles from the first study with the aim of understanding how the body allocates resources in a hypocaloric, high energy expenditure environment.
Muscle mass of the lower limbs of the rowers will be measured with ultrasound, as well as body mass, body composition, energy expenditure and nutritional intake, the week before the race and immediately after arrival in Antigua. As well as adding novel insights to the knowledge base around factors affecting ultra endurance performance, the results will then be used to inform future intervention studies aimed at preventing muscle loss.
- Conditions
- Exercise
- Being tested
- Ocean row
- Keywords
- ocean rowing, ultra endurance, doubly labelled water
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Ocean rowOther
the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge annual ocean rowing race.
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Energy Expenditure
Amount of kcals expended per day
Measured: 5-7 days in final week of row
Calf Muscle thickness
Pre - Post measurements of calf muscle thickness
Measured: 5-7 weeks
Energy Intake
Amount of kcals consumed per day
Measured: 5-7 days in final week of row
Secondary outcomes (2)
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss between males and females
Absolute and relative differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss
Measured: 5-7 weeks
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss in older vs younger rowers
Are there any age-related differences in energy balance, body mass loss or muscle loss
Measured: 5-7 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Feb 2023
- Study start28 Nov 2020
- Primary completion16 Feb 2022
- Study completion1 Apr 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for ExerciseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Exeter
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Francis Stephens, Principal investigator, University of Exeter
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05729841
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 201021-A-08
- Acronym
- StORMM
- Status last verified
- May 2024
- First submitted
- 16 Jan 2023
- Last updated
- 21 May 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: no plan to share IPD
Publications
Holsgrove-West RK, Revuelta Iniesta R, Abdelrahman DR, Murton AJ, Wall BT, Stephens FB. Maximal sustainable energy intake during transatlantic ocean rowing is insufficient for total energy expenditure and skeletal muscle mass maintenance. Exp Physiol. 2024 Feb;109(2):227-239. doi: 10.1113/EP091319. Epub 2023 Nov 15.
PubMed 37966359
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 May 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- StORMM 1:What Effect Does Rowing 3000 Miles Across Atlantic Ocean Have on Calf Muscle Size? StORMM 2. In the Catabolic State of Extreme Endurance, is Muscle Loss Uniform or Can the Human Body Select Depending on Load and Nutrient Availability?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05729841
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- StORMM / 201021-A-08
- Conditions
- Exercise
- Keywords
- ocean rowing, ultra endurance, doubly labelled water
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ExeterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 28 Nov 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 16 Feb 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Apr 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Feb 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Little is known on the human adaptation to extreme endurance and with the increasing popularity in long duration events we seek to provide insight into the physiological and metabolic adaptation processes of ocean rowing.
Rowing 12-18 hours a day will illicit a high energy expenditure and anecdotally people have lost large amounts of body weight and variable amounts of muscle mass, particularly in the lower limbs. This may provide insights and a potential new model to to study muscle unloading.
Detailed description
Previous research has investigated factors determining muscle loss through bed rest and limb immobilisation. These methods are limited in that some do not include inflammation or changes in nutrition, which have been shown to be key drivers of muscle loss. These studies aim to investigate a potentially new model of muscle unloading.
Ocean rowing is an ultra-endurance sport where people spend 35-90 days at sea. Usually rowing for a minimum of 12 hours a day, in a 2-hour on/off shift pattern with daily food rations. Rowers lose body and muscle mass. There is likely to be low-grade inflammation, nutritional deficit, fatigue and rowers do not stand up for the entire crossing. Part 1 aims to quantify this muscle loss by inviting rowers in the annual 3000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 to take part. While part 2 aims to continue the work by measuring upper and core muscles as well as lower limb muscles from the first study with the aim of understanding how the body allocates resources in a hypocaloric, high energy expenditure environment.
Muscle mass of the lower limbs of the rowers will be measured with ultrasound, as well as body mass, body composition, energy expenditure and nutritional intake, the week before the race and immediately after arrival in Antigua. As well as adding novel insights to the knowledge base around factors affecting ultra endurance performance, the results will then be used to inform future intervention studies aimed at preventing muscle loss.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Healthy, fit and active males and females aged 18 and over
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020 and 2021
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- lower limb amputee musculoskeletal, metabolic, neurological disease pacemaker fitted
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean rowthe Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge annual ocean rowing race. | Other | – |
Primary outcome
Energy Expenditure
Time frame: 5-7 days in final week of row
Amount of kcals expended per day
Calf Muscle thickness
Time frame: 5-7 weeks
Pre - Post measurements of calf muscle thickness
Energy Intake
Time frame: 5-7 days in final week of row
Amount of kcals consumed per day
2 secondary outcomes
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss between males and females
Time frame: 5-7 weeks
Difference in rate of muscle thickness loss in older vs younger rowers
Time frame: 5-7 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 May 2024.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 37966359Holsgrove-West RK, Revuelta Iniesta R, Abdelrahman DR, Murton AJ, Wall BT, Stephens FB. Maximal sustainable energy intake during transatlantic ocean rowing is insufficient for total energy expenditure and skeletal muscle mass maintenance. Exp Physiol. 2024 Feb;109(2):227-239. doi: 10.1113/EP091319. Epub 2023 Nov 15.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. no plan to share IPD
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Francis Stephens principal investigator
University of Exeter
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Exercise, run by University of Exeter at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 May 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Energy Expenditure (time frame: 5-7 days in final week of row). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05729841, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 May 2024.