NCT02124590

The Effect of Oral Carnitine Supplementation on MRS-derived Mitochondrial Function

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 14 (actual)
• Sponsor: Duke University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a longitudinal study supported by Pfizer and is a collaboration between DMPI (Duke Molecular Physiology Institute) and DIAL (Duke Image Acquisition Laboratory) to measure the effects of acute exercise on carnitine and acylcarnitine levels in the muscle and on insulin sensitivity in the plasma. This pilot study seeks to explain why moderate intensity exercise provides more improvements in glucose control for pre-diabetic patients than vigorous intensity. The investigators hypothesize that moderate intensity exercise might be beneficial for elderly individuals who are overweight or obese, specifically by: 1. Reducing damaging excess protein acetylation (measured in muscle biopsy), 2. Improving the acylcarnitine/carnitine ratio (measured by MRS), 3. Improving overall mitochondrial function as reflected in reduced phosphocreatine recovery time (measured by MRS) and 4. Increasing insulin sensitivity as measured by a 4-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Investigators intend to use the results of this study to show feasibility in measuring mitochondrial function at Duke for a larger federal grant submission. Investigators hypothesize that carnitine insufficiency might contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and obesity-related impairments in glucose tolerance and insulin action.

Conditions

• Elderly
• Pre-diabetic

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Acute Exercise	Repeated isometric leg exercises at varying intensities for up to twelve minutes per bout. Leg exercises will target the quadriceps muscles.
OTHER	Acute Exercise	Aerobic exercise session on a bike at 50% of peak VO2 for 30 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-06-01
• Primary completion: 2014-12-01
• Completion: 2014-12-01
• First posted: 2014-04-28
• Last updated: 2015-06-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States