Sports Nutritional SciencesNCT07716904
Whey Protein and Adaptogenic Supplementation in Physically Active Males
A study testing Whey protein and Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic Blend in people with Sports Nutritional Sciences and Sports Nutrition, run by Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether whey protein, with or without an adaptogenic herb blend, can improve strength, recovery, stress, and wellbeing in active males. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sports Nutritional Sciences, Sports Nutrition, Recovery
- What is being tested?
- Whey protein and Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic Blend
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 20 Jul 2026to 1 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 to 45 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male, aged 18-45 years
- Currently participating in regular structured athletic or physical training (≥3 sessions per week)
- Free from musculoskeletal injury that would prevent testing
- Willing to maintain usual diet and training habits during the study
- Not currently using protein supplements or adaptogenic supplements
- Signing of informed consent form
Who cannot join
- Known allergy or sensitivity to dairy, ashwagandha or nightshades
- Current use of prescribed medication that may interact with the supplements
- Thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions, hormone-sensitive conditions, or other medical conditions
- Diagnosed eating disorder or condition affecting protein metabolism
- Current musculoskeletal injury preventing participation in testing
- Current use of other protein supplements or adaptogens
- No signing of informed consent form
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Strength and Nutrition Ltd
Brighton, East Sussex
Olivia C Coope, PhD(c), 07882461098, drocc1@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: Whey Protein and Adaptogenic Herb Supplementation in Physically Active Males: A Randomised Controlled Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether whey protein, with or without an adaptogenic herb blend, can improve strength, recovery, stress, and wellbeing in active males. The adaptogenic blend contains 600mg ashwagandha root extract.The main questions the study aims to answer are:
Does whey protein improve muscle strength and recovery in physically active males? Does adding ashwagandha to whey protein further improve stress, recovery, sleep, and wellbeing compared with protein alone? Are there differences between whey protein when combined with the adaptogenic blend?
Read more
Researchers will compare two supplement groups:
- Whey protein
- Whey protein with ashwagandha
Participants will:
- Take their assigned supplement for 6 weeks
- Attend two testing sessions before and after the intervention
- Complete questionnaires about recovery, sleep, stress, soreness, and digestive health
- Provide saliva samples to measure stress, hormone, immune, and inflammation markers
- Complete muscle strength tests, including handgrip strength and push-up testing
- Complete a 24-hour dietary recall
- The study includes physically active males aged 18 to 45 years who regularly participate in structured training.
- Conditions
- Sports Nutritional Sciences, Sports Nutrition, Recovery, Recovery Following Exercise, Muscle Strength Recovery
- Being tested
- Whey protein, Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic Blend
- Keywords
- whey protein, ashwagandha, physically active males, sports supplement, adaptogens, exercise, sports nutrition
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Whey proteinDietary supplement
Also called Grass-Fed Whey Protein, Whey Protein Powder
Participants will consume a whey protein supplement for 6 weeks. The supplement will be provided in identical blank tubs. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual diet and training habits throughout the intervention period.
Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic BlendDietary supplement
Also called Whey Protein Plus Adaptogens, Ashwagandha Whey Protein
Participants will consume a whey protein supplement containing ashwagandha KSM-66® root extract (600 mg) for 6 weeks. Supplements will be provided in identical blank tubs. Participants will maintain usual diet and training habits during the study.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Whey protein | Active comparator | Participants will consume a whey protein supplement daily for 6 weeks. Assessments of muscle strength, recovery, stress, wellbeing, dietary intake, and salivary biomarkers will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Whey protein |
| Whey Protein + Adaptogenic Blend | Experimental | Participants will consume a whey protein supplement containing ashwagandha KSM-66® (600 mg) for 6 weeks. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic Blend |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Salivary Cortisol Concentration
Change in salivary cortisol concentration from baseline to post-intervention following 6 weeks of whey protein supplementation with or without an adaptogenic herb blend containing ashwagandha KSM-66®. Results will be reported in ng/mL.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Secondary outcomes (8)
Handgrip Strength
Change in maximal handgrip strength measured using a CAMRY dynamometer from baseline to post-intervention.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Upper Body Muscular Endurance
Change in upper body muscular endurance assessed using the 90-degree push-up test protocol from baseline to post-intervention.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Perceived Recovery and Wellbeing
Participants will complete the Hooper Index Questionnaire, which assesses four domains: sleep quality, fatigue, stress, and muscle soreness. Each domain is rated on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 10, with total scores ranging from 4 to 40. Higher scores indicate poorer wellbeing and recovery status, whereas lower scores indicate better perceived wellbeing and recovery.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary DHEA-S Concentration
Salivary DHEA-S concentration will be measured from saliva samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. Results will be reported in ng/mL.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Dietary Intake
Dietary intake assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall to evaluate habitual nutritional intake during the study period.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary Testosterone Concentration
Salivary testosterone concentration will be measured from saliva samples using ELISA. Results will be reported in pg/mL.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) Concentration
Salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) concentration will be measured from saliva samples using ELISA. Results will be reported in µg/mL.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary C-reactive Protein Concentration
Salivary C-reactive protein will be measured from saliva samples using ELISA. Results will be reported in pg/mL.
Measured: Time Frame: Baseline to Week 6
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jul 2026
- Study start20 Jul 2026
- Primary completion20 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sports Nutritional SciencesStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 parallel groups: whey protein or whey protein with adaptogenic blend. Participants will remain in their assigned group for the full 6-week intervention period. Baseline and post-intervention assessments will be conducted to compare changes between groups and over time.
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis
- Sponsor type
- Research network
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Olivia Charlotte Coope, Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis
- Investigators
- Olivia C Coope, PhD(c), Study director, Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07716904
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ASH-WHEY-002
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared with other researchers. Data collected in this study will be anonymised and retained only for the duration of analysis before permanent deletion, in accordance with the study protocol, participant consent, and UK GDPR requirements.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Whey Protein and Adaptogenic Herb Supplementation in Physically Active Males: A Randomised Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07716904
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ASH-WHEY-002
- Conditions
- Sports Nutritional Sciences, Sports Nutrition, Recovery, Recovery Following Exercise, Muscle Strength Recovery
- Keywords
- whey protein, ashwagandha, physically active males, sports supplement, adaptogens, exercise, sports nutrition
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and AnalysisResearch network
- Study start
- 20 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Jul 2026 (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.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether whey protein, with or without an adaptogenic herb blend, can improve strength, recovery, stress, and wellbeing in active males. The adaptogenic blend contains 600mg ashwagandha root extract.The main questions the study aims to answer are:
Does whey protein improve muscle strength and recovery in physically active males? Does adding ashwagandha to whey protein further improve stress, recovery, sleep, and wellbeing compared with protein alone? Are there differences between whey protein when combined with the adaptogenic blend?
Researchers will compare two supplement groups:
- Whey protein
- Whey protein with ashwagandha
Participants will:
- Take their assigned supplement for 6 weeks
- Attend two testing sessions before and after the intervention
- Complete questionnaires about recovery, sleep, stress, soreness, and digestive health
- Provide saliva samples to measure stress, hormone, immune, and inflammation markers
- Complete muscle strength tests, including handgrip strength and push-up testing
- Complete a 24-hour dietary recall
- The study includes physically active males aged 18 to 45 years who regularly participate in structured training.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 parallel groups: whey protein or whey protein with adaptogenic blend. Participants will remain in their assigned group for the full 6-week intervention period. Baseline and post-intervention assessments will be conducted to compare changes between groups and over time.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Whey protein | Active comparator | Dietary Supplement: Whey proteinParticipants will consume a whey protein supplement daily for 6 weeks. Assessments of muscle strength, recovery, stress, wellbeing, dietary intake, and salivary biomarkers will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. |
| Whey Protein + Adaptogenic Blend | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic BlendParticipants will consume a whey protein supplement containing ashwagandha KSM-66® (600 mg) for 6 weeks. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Male, aged 18-45 years
- Currently participating in regular structured athletic or physical training (≥3 sessions per week)
- Free from musculoskeletal injury that would prevent testing
- Willing to maintain usual diet and training habits during the study
- Not currently using protein supplements or adaptogenic supplements
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Known allergy or sensitivity to dairy, ashwagandha or nightshades
- Current use of prescribed medication that may interact with the supplements
- Thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions, hormone-sensitive conditions, or other medical conditions
- Diagnosed eating disorder or condition affecting protein metabolism
- Current musculoskeletal injury preventing participation in testing
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Whey proteinAlso: Grass-Fed Whey Protein, Whey Protein PowderParticipants will consume a whey protein supplement for 6 weeks. The supplement will be provided in identical blank tubs. Participants will be instructed to maintain their usual diet and training habits throughout the intervention period. | Dietary supplement | Whey protein |
| Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic BlendAlso: Whey Protein Plus Adaptogens, Ashwagandha Whey ProteinParticipants will consume a whey protein supplement containing ashwagandha KSM-66® root extract (600 mg) for 6 weeks. Supplements will be provided in identical blank tubs. Participants will maintain usual diet and training habits during the study. | Dietary supplement | Whey Protein + Adaptogenic Blend |
Primary outcome
Salivary Cortisol Concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Change in salivary cortisol concentration from baseline to post-intervention following 6 weeks of whey protein supplementation with or without an adaptogenic herb blend containing ashwagandha KSM-66®. Results will be reported in ng/mL.
8 secondary outcomes
Handgrip Strength
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Upper Body Muscular Endurance
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Perceived Recovery and Wellbeing
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary DHEA-S Concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Dietary Intake
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary Testosterone Concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) Concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6
Salivary C-reactive Protein Concentration
Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline to Week 6
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared with other researchers. Data collected in this study will be anonymised and retained only for the duration of analysis before permanent deletion, in accordance with the study protocol, participant consent, and UK GDPR requirements.
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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.
Olivia C Coope, PhD(c) study director
Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Whey protein and Dietary Supplement: Whey Protein With Adaptogenic Blend in people with Sports Nutritional Sciences and Sports Nutrition, run by Sports Performance and Applied Research in Trials and Analysis 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 6 inclusion and 7 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Oct 2026. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Alex L Levington, PhD(c) (07882461098, alex@strengthandnutrition.co.uk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Salivary Cortisol Concentration (time frame: Time Frame: Baseline and Week 6). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 13 Oct 2026.