CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05567211Updated Nov 29, 2023

Prevention of Energy Deficit Syndrome in Female Athletes. Molecular Mechanisms Associated With Malnutrition.

An interventional study of Free use of the virtual platform. and Personalized nutritional planning based on the Mediterranean diet + physical exercise + use of mobile application. in Female Athlete Triad, Energy Deficit Syndrome and Mediterranean Diet, sponsored by University of Alicante. Completed at 1 site in Spain. Open to female participants, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-11-29.

Sponsored by University of Alicante · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
50
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Energy Deficit Syndrome (RED-S) is the impairment of physiological functioning caused by relative energy deficiency and includes impaired metabolic rate, menstrual, endocrine, hematological, immunological, gastrointestinal, bone, psychological, developmental and cardiovascular function. Eighty-seven percent of athletes show at least one symptom related to RED-S, with a higher prevalence in women. Treatment of RED-S preferably involves a multidisciplinary team of health professionals to address the complex interaction of nutrition, training, body image and performance. The main objective is to prevent energy deficit syndrome in female athletes in the province of Alicante through different training and diet protocols using a virtual platform. A 12-week single-blind randomized clinical trial with an intervention period and a control period (RCT) is proposed. The sports federations of the most representative practices in the province of Alicante will be selected by randomized sampling. The female athletes will be randomly divided into 4 groups (control group; control group with free use of the virtual platform; intervention group with Mediterranean diet and physical exercise planning; intervention group with red fruits and physical exercise planning).

02

Conditions studied

  • Female Athlete Triad
  • Energy Deficit Syndrome
  • Mediterranean Diet
  • Red Fruits
  • Antioxidative Stress
  • Nutritional Disorder
  • Sports Physical Therapy
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • (a) exercise at least 3 days/week,
  • (b) not having any diagnosed chronic pathology or ailment that prevents physical exercise or following nutritional guidelines rich in antioxidants.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • All individuals taking medication that could affect the results of the study will be excluded from the study.
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
50 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • No intervention
    Control group

    Will receive basic recommendations from the World Health Organization on healthy eating and physical activity.

  • Placebo comparator
    Control group with free use of the virtual platform

    The athletes, in addition to the recommendations indicated in the previous point, will have access to the virtual platform designed to voluntarily record the parameters they consider appropriate.

    Other: Free use of the virtual platform.

  • Active comparator
    Intervention group with Mediterranean diet and physical exercise planning

    They will receive nutritional plans adapted to their energy expenditure and based on Mediterranean diet. The physical exercise intervention will be based on 3 weekly sessions of 50 minutes of combined resistance and strength, deferred.

    Other: Personalized nutritional planning based on the Mediterranean diet + physical exercise + use of mobile application.

  • Active comparator
    Intervention group with red berries and physical exercise planning

    They will also receive personalized nutritional plans with a diet rich in antioxidants obtained from red berries and the same physical exercise intervention as in the Mediterranean diet intervention group.

    Other: Personalized nutritional planning with an extra intake of berries + physical exercise + use of mobile application.

Interventions

  • OtherFree use of the virtual platform.

    Access to the virtual platform + general healthy eating and physical activity recommendations. The platform will allow the registration of all the evolution, monitoring of nutritional and sports patterns (with activity bracelet), as well as oxidative stress, hydration, menstrual phase and mood.

  • OtherPersonalized nutritional planning based on the Mediterranean diet + physical exercise + use of mobile application.

    Access to the virtual platform + nutritional planning based on the Mediterranean diet + physical activity. The platform will allow the registration of all the evolution, monitoring of nutritional and sports patterns (with activity bracelet), as well as oxidative stress, hydration, menstrual phase and mood.

  • OtherPersonalized nutritional planning with an extra intake of berries + physical exercise + use of mobile application.

    Access to the virtual platform + nutritional planning with an extra supply of antioxidants using red berries + physical activity. The platform will allow the registration of all the evolution, monitoring of nutritional and sports patterns (with activity bracelet), as well as oxidative stress, hydration, menstrual phase and mood.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Oxidative stress

    Measurement of oxidative stress by pentane by exhaled air

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Weight

    Weight evaluation using a digital scale

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  3. Anthropometric assessment - Height

    Restricted profile proposed by the International Society for the Development of Cineanthropometry.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  4. Fat mass

    Through anthropometry. Restricted profile proposed by the International Society for the Development of Cineanthropometry. The Faulkner formula will be used.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  5. Muscular mass

    Through anthropometry. Restricted profile proposed by the International Society for the Development of Cineanthropometry. Lee's formula will be used.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  6. Bone mass

    Through anthropometry. Restricted profile proposed by the International Society for the Development of Cineanthropometry. The Rocha formula will be used.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  7. Hydratation

    Urine density will be measured with Refractometer.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  8. Menstrual cycle

    Using the Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) Clinical Assessment Tool (CAT) questionnaire. It is a clinical assessment tool for the evaluation of athletes / active individuals suspected of having relative energy deficiency and for guiding return to play decisions.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  9. Gastrointestinal symptoms

    The questionnaire on irritable bowel syndrome and symptom management among endurance athletes will be used; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30232638/

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  10. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max.)

    In cycloergometer and cardiorespiratory fitness test monitored with electrocardiogram

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  11. Blood pressure

    Using an OMROM upper arm blood pressure monitor.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  12. Cholesterol in blood

    Cholesterol by blood test

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  13. Strength

    All participants will perform a countermovement jump, using a contact platform. Higher values will mean better performance.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  14. Creatin-Kinase in blood

    Creatin-Kinase by blood test (milligrams/deciliters). High values may be a sign of overtraining.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  15. Perception of quality of life

    Using a Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF36). Quality of Life Questionnaire is a comprehensive questionnaire that covers various attributes of an individuals life. It covers a variety of demographic questions to get better quality data and information before analyzing the quality of life of an individual.The SF-36 consists of eight scaled scores, which are the weighted sums of the questions in their section. Each scale is directly transformed into a 0-100 scale on the assumption that each question carries equal weight. The lower the score the more disability.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  16. Mood state

    Profile of Mood State Questionnaire (POMS). The POMS questionnaire assesses six mood subscales: tension-anxiety, depression, anger-hostility, vigor, fatigue, and confusion. High vigor scores reflect a good mood or emotion, and low scores in the other subscales reflect a good mood or emotion.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  17. Eating behavior

    Eating Behavior Questionnaire (EAT-26). It is used to identify the presence of "eating disorder risk" based on attitudes, feelings and behaviours related to eating. There are 26 self-report questions assessing general eating behaviour and five additional questions assessing risky behaviours. The total score (between 0 and 78) provides an overall risk score, where higher scores indicating greater risk of an eating disorder. Total scores 20 or above are considered to be in the clinical range.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Alejandro Martínez Rodriguez
    Elche, Alicante 03203, Spain
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05567211
Lead sponsor
University of Alicante
Responsible party
Prof. Dr. Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez (Full Professor, University of Alicante) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 5, 2022
Start date
Sep 1, 2022
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2023
Completion
Oct 30, 2023
Last update
Nov 29, 2023

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion