Physical InactivityEPOCHNCT06063135
Effects of Physical Exercise Timing On Strength and Cardiometabolic Health
A study testing Physical Exercise Intervention in people with Physical Inactivity, run by University of Basel at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
Physical exercise is well known to improve human health. Current guidelines provide recommendations on the frequency, intensity, type and duration of exercise. However, they do not provide recommendations for the time of day, exercise should be performed. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Physical Inactivity
- What is being tested?
- Physical Exercise Intervention
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 152 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 21 Nov 2023to 24 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 60 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- BMI 18.5 - 30 kg/m2
Who cannot join
- Structured resistance training within the last six months
- Ongoing shift work
- Irregular bedtime (> 2 hours variation in habitual bed time)
- Smoking
- Travels across more than two time zones within the last four weeks
- Inability to follow the study procedures (e.g. due to language barriers, psychological disorders, dementia, etc.)
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- Known pregnancy or lactating women
- Participation in any other clinical trial within the last four weeks
- Medical condition that is a contra indicator for resistance training, endurance training, or exercising until maximum exhaustion including insufficiently controlled blood pressure (systolic > 170 mmHg, diastolic > 100 mmHg), ongoing cancer treatment, unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled bradyarrhythmia or tachyarrhythmia, severe uncorrected valvular heart disease, clinically relevant acute infection, any form of musculoskeletal injury, orthopedic problems or decompensated cardiovascular disease
- Insulin dependent diabetes
- Participants using metformin
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Physical exercise is well known to improve human health. Current guidelines provide recommendations on the frequency, intensity, type and duration of exercise. However, they do not provide recommendations for the time of day, exercise should be performed. This is surprising considering that the influence of timing of behaviors such as sleep or nutrition as well as the impact of the circadian timing system on health are well documented. Further, there is evidence for diurnal variation in maximum performance which enables individuals to exercise with different intensities at different times of day, which in the long term might affect physical adaptations to exercise. Thus, this research study investigates if exercise timing impacts human health.
- Conditions
- Physical Inactivity
- Being tested
- Physical Exercise Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Sedentary Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Physical Exercise InterventionOther
Two strength training session per week and one endurance training session per week
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | Single life-style coaching session |
| Exercise Time 1 | Experimental | Physical exercise intervention taking place at one time of the day Receives: Other: Physical Exercise Intervention |
| Exercise Time 2 | Experimental | Physical exercise intervention taking place at another time of day Receives: Other: Physical Exercise Intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Maximum strength
Mean value of the maximum isometric strength assessed at four different times of the day with an isometric mid-thigh pull on a force plate.
Measured: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Secondary outcomes (3)
Glucose control
2-h postprandial area under the curve for glucose after an oral glucose tolerance test
Measured: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Body composition
total body fat mass assessed with DXA
Measured: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Cardiorespiratory fitness
VO2max assessed with cardiopulmonary exercise test
Measured: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Oct 2023
- Study start21 Nov 2023
- Primary completion24 Jun 2025
- Study completion24 Jun 2025
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 Physical InactivityStudies 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 152 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Basel
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Raphael Knaier, University of Basel
- Investigators
- Raphael Knaier, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Basel
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06063135
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EPOCH
- Acronym
- EPOCH
- Status last verified
- Jun 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Sep 2023
- Last updated
- 25 Jun 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Anonymized data will be provided in a data repository in accordance to FAIR principles
Publications
Bruggisser F, Ritter S, Roth R, Ritter ET, Infanger D, Ledergerber R, Hinrichs T, Scheer FAJL, Handschin C, Hanssen H, Knaier R. Effects of Daily Rhythm-Aligned Training on Skeletal Muscle Adaptation in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2026 Oct;17(5):e70390. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.70390.
PubMed 42791208
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jun 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Physical Exercise Timing On Strength and Cardiometabolic Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06063135
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EPOCH / EPOCH
- Conditions
- Physical Inactivity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 152 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of BaselUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 24 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 24 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Oct 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.
Physical exercise is well known to improve human health. Current guidelines provide recommendations on the frequency, intensity, type and duration of exercise. However, they do not provide recommendations for the time of day, exercise should be performed. This is surprising considering that the influence of timing of behaviors such as sleep or nutrition as well as the impact of the circadian timing system on health are well documented. Further, there is evidence for diurnal variation in maximum performance which enables individuals to exercise with different intensities at different times of day, which in the long term might affect physical adaptations to exercise. Thus, this research study investigates if exercise timing impacts human health.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –Single life-style coaching session |
| Exercise Time 1 | Experimental | Other: Physical Exercise InterventionPhysical exercise intervention taking place at one time of the day |
| Exercise Time 2 | Experimental | Other: Physical Exercise InterventionPhysical exercise intervention taking place at another time of day |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- BMI 18.5 - 30 kg/m2
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Structured resistance training within the last six months
- Ongoing shift work
- Irregular bedtime (> 2 hours variation in habitual bed time)
- Smoking
- Travels across more than two time zones within the last four weeks
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Exercise InterventionTwo strength training session per week and one endurance training session per week | Other | Exercise Time 1, Exercise Time 2 |
Primary outcome
Maximum strength
Time frame: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Mean value of the maximum isometric strength assessed at four different times of the day with an isometric mid-thigh pull on a force plate.
3 secondary outcomes
Glucose control
Time frame: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Body composition
Time frame: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Time frame: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)
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 25 Jun 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42791208Bruggisser F, Ritter S, Roth R, Ritter ET, Infanger D, Ledergerber R, Hinrichs T, Scheer FAJL, Handschin C, Hanssen H, Knaier R. Effects of Daily Rhythm-Aligned Training on Skeletal Muscle Adaptation in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2026 Oct;17(5):e70390. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.70390.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymized data will be provided in a data repository in accordance to FAIR principles
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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.
Raphael Knaier, PhD principal investigator
University of Basel
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Physical Exercise Intervention in people with Physical Inactivity, run by University of Basel at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 11 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 25 Jun 2025. 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 Switzerland. 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?
Maximum strength (time frame: Pre-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days before the first training session of the exercise intervention) and Post-Intervention (i.e. 1 to 28 days after the last training session of the exercise intervention)). 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 NCT06063135, 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 25 Jun 2025.