Effects of Octacosanol During Taekwondo Training

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03557476
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: June 15, 2018
• Results First Posted: August 12, 2019
• Last Update Posted: November 10, 2020
• Sponsor: Kosin University
• Collaborator: University of Nebraska
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): Sang-Ho Lee, Kosin University

Study Description

Brief Summary:

Taekwondo players undergo rapid reductions of body weight prior to their competition in order to gain a size advantage over the opponent. However, these large weight changes with concomitant high intensity exercise training induce poor lipid profiles and high levels of oxidative stress, which can be detrimental to health and sports performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of the nutritional supplement octacosanol to combat the physiological detriments that can occur from these rapid weight changes paired with high intensity exercise training.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Oxidative Stress; Dyslipidemias	Dietary Supplement: Octacosanol; Dietary Supplement: Placebo	Not Applicable

Detailed Description:

Athletes that participate in weight division sports such as taekwondo, boxing, judo, and wrestling regularly reduce their body weight severely prior to competition in order to gain a size advantage over the opponent while simultaneously meeting their weight division requirements. In general, athletes have acute weight loss of 4-7 kg within 3-4 days of competition, while longer periods of more gradual weight loss of 15-22 kg lasting 3-4 weeks. Although this kind of extreme weight loss can induce metabolic dysfunction, it is repeatedly performed by athletes of weight division sports in order to acquire a more advantageous condition for play. Furthermore, athletes participating in matches tend to obtain excessive weights compared to their weight division during the offseason in order to lift heavier weights during training, and then rapidly lose that weight over a short period of time prior to competition, resulting in the deterioration of physiological function and possibly sports performance.

Rapid weight loss with high intensity exercise training also increases oxygen free radical production to a point that exceeds the defense mechanism of antioxidant enzymes in the body and ultimately results in damage to the cells, specifically, the lipid peroxidation of cell membranes. Not only does this decrease physiological function, but sports performance can also decrease as oxidative stress increases due to an interference in metabolic activity, a reduction in vascular function and an increase in systemic inflammation. Octacosanol, a straight-chain, high-molecular-weight, primary aliphatic alcohol minimally contained in the germinal disks of rice bran, wheat and sugar cane, may be able to prevent these deteriorations as it has been shown to provide various health benefits. In fact, previous studies reported that pre-exercise octacosanol intake contributed to enhanced muscular strength, muscular endurance and oxygen transport ability. Additionally, octacosanol supplementation has been shown to improve cardiovascular endurance and heart function in patients with peripheral artery disease, improve levels of low-density and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia, and increase glycogen accumulation in mice9. However, the potential beneficial effects of octacosanol intake for reducing free radical production and preventing detrimental physiological function from excessive weight loss with high intensity exercise has not been examined. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of octacosanol supplementation during acute weight loss with high-intensity exercise training on lipid profiles and markers of oxidative stress in taekwondo players.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Actual Enrollment: 26 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Official Title: Octacosanol Supplementation Improves Lipid Profiles and Oxidative Stress During Rapid Weight Loss and High-Intensity Exercise in Taekwondo Athletes
• Actual Study Start Date: August 1, 2017
• Actual Primary Completion Date: March 1, 2018
• Actual Study Completion Date: March 1, 2018

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/treatment
Experimental: Octacosanol; Two capsules (20-mg x 2) of 100% refined octacosanol powder from sugar cane (Swanson, Fargo ND, USA) was consumed daily by the octacosanol group for six days, one capsule 30 minutes after morning and afternoon meals.	Dietary Supplement: Octacosanol; One capsules (20-mg) of 100% refined octacosanol powder from sugar cane (Swanson, Fargo ND, USA) was consumed twice a day
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; A placebo pill was taken twice daily in replacement of the octacosanol supplement	Dietary Supplement: Placebo; A placebo pill was taken twice a day in a double-blinded method at the same frequency and time as the octacosanol supplement

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Triglycerides [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma triglyceride levels
2. Total Cholesterol [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma total cholesterol levels
3. High-density Lipoprotein [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein
4. Low-density Lipoprotein [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein

Secondary Outcome Measures :

1. Malondialdehyde [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma levels of malondialdehyde
2. Superoxide Dismutase [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma levels of superoxide dismutase
3. Glutathione Peroxidase [ Time Frame: 6 days ]
   Plasma levels of glutathione peroxidase

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 17 Years to 19 Years (Child, Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: Male
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• at least 3 years of experience in national taekwondo competitions
• abstain from caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and antioxidant supplements during the whole period of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• no history of chronic use of antioxidants, chronic aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• No cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic or renal diseases
• no musculoskeletal injuries

Contacts and Locations

Locations

United States, Nebraska

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 68182

Sponsors and Collaborators

Kosin University

University of Nebraska

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Song Park, PhD; University of Nebraska

  Study Documents (Full-Text)

Documents provided by Sang-Ho Lee, Kosin University:

Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan  [PDF] March 25, 2019

More Information

• Responsible Party: Sang-Ho Lee, Principal Investigator, Kosin University
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03557476
• Other Study ID Numbers: Octacosanol
• First Posted: June 15, 2018
• Results First Posted: August 12, 2019
• Last Update Posted: November 10, 2020
• Last Verified: November 2020

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No

Keywords provided by Sang-Ho Lee, Kosin University:

Octacosanol; Taekwondo; Lipid Profiles; Oxidative Stress

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Dyslipidemias; Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases