NCT06784531

The Influence of Race and MitoQ Supplementation on Skin Blood Flow in the Cold

The Influence of Race and MitoQ Supplementation on Skin Perfusion in the Cold

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Individuals who operate in cold weather are at risk of developing cold injuries, for example, frostbite. They also often experience a loss of hand function and joint mobility due to a decrease in skin temperature and blood flow. In addition, the risk of getting a cold injury is higher in the Black population compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Increases in oxidant compounds can cause the blood vessels in the skin to narrow and decrease skin temperature in the cold. However, it is unknown whether the higher risk of cold injury in Black individuals is because of a greater amount of oxidant compounds in the blood vessels. The purpose of this research is to see if an antioxidant supplement called MitoQ can help to improve skin temperature and blood flow in the cold and if the improvement is greater in Black individuals.

Detailed description

In a randomized, double-blinded, crossover design, healthy volunteers (18-40 yrs) will undergo a set of cold exposures following acute ingestion of a high-dose MitoQ supplement and placebo. The cold exposures will consist of a hand immersion in 54°F water and a 90-min exposure to 41°F air during which skin blood flow and temperatures will be measured. The hypothesis is that the declines in skin blood flow and temperature will be greater during cold exposure in Black individuals and that MitoQ supplementation will improve skin blood flow and temperature to a greater extent in Black individuals.

Conditions

• Cold Exposure

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ)	Four 20 mg MitoQ capsules (80 mg total) are ingested orally.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Placebo	Four placebo (microcrystalline cellulose) capsules are ingested orally.
OTHER	Cold Water Hand Immersion	Volunteers place one hand in cold (54°F) water for 30 minutes.
OTHER	Cold Air Exposure	Volunteers sit in cold (41°F) air for 90 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-09-16
• Primary completion: 2025-10-28
• Completion: 2026-01-01
• First posted: 2025-01-20
• Last updated: 2025-12-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States