The Effect of a Short Term Exercise Schedule on Oral Iron Bio-availability and Iron Incorporation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Iron metabolism may undergo changes during exercise, with reductions in classical iron status markers due to a variety of postulated mechanism which include hemodilution, increased iron loss, hemolysis and increased iron storage in muscles. Furthermore, it has been reported that vigorous training increases hepcidin, a central regulatory peptide in iron metabolism. This increase has been ascribed to the presence of subclinical inflammation. Increased hepcidin levels may reduce iron bioavailability and iron incorporation in erythrocytes. Twenty healthy men subjects will be recruited as subjects for this study. Subjects should be generally healthy, with no history of blood donation in the last 6 months, should weigh less than 85 Kg, and not take iron supplements and/or multivitamin supplements. Subjects should have familiarity to sports and running, but not currently (i.e. in the past 3 months) training for more than 1h per week on average. The aim of this study is to measure an iron bioavailability during a resting and an exercise phase lasting approx. 14 days with training sessions on alternate days. Subjects will participate in both restign and exercising protocols and act as their own controls during the study. Iron bioavailability will be measured via the incorporation of stable isotopic labels 14 days after administration. To control for changes in blood volume during the course of the study, blood volume of the participating subjects will be measured before and after the exercise phase with the CO-rebreathing method. Measurement of iron bioavailability and iron incorporation in a resting and exercising phase will allow determine if the increased level of hepcidin seen in in exercise will induce a lower iron bioavailability and iron incorporation during exercise.

Official Title
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The Effect of a Short Term Exercise Schedule on Oral Iron Bio-availability and Iron Incorporation

Conditions
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Generally Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Exercise (Running)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: men, Generally Healthy age between 18-50 years; BMI between 18-25; nonanemic (Hb < 120 g/L); no intake of vitamins and nutritional supplements; no recent blood donation (<4 months); no previous participation in studies with stable iron isotopes in the past. Exclusion Criteria: Chronic diseases, Metabolic diseases, GI tract diseases (self reported)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Difference in Iron bioavailabilty exercise and resting phase<br>the subjects will act as their own control during the study | Behavioral: Exercise (Running)<br>* the study foresees a measurement of iron biavailability in a resting and in a exercising phase and subjects will act as their own control during the study.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Iron bioavailability from Stable isotopic labels |  | Up to 2 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blood volume increase during exercise |  | Up to 2 months |