Timing of Broccoli Sprout Intake to Improve Exercise Performance

NCT07461194 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ITC-2026-001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study examines how the timing of intake of a broccoli sprout-based drink (a natural source of isothiocyanates, ITCs) affects physiological responses, recovery, and performance after a standardized endurance cycling session. Healthy, endurance-trained adults (18-64 years) will complete four laboratory visits at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH): one screening/physiology test visit and three intervention visits in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design. On intervention visits, participants will ingest either an active broccoli sprout drink (50 g sprouts) or a placebo drink based on alfalfa sprouts (50 g sprouts) according to randomization. The drink will be consumed either approximately 16 hours before exercise (the evening before) or approximately 3 hours before exercise (the morning of the test), enabling comparison of timing in relation to a standardized \~2-hour cycling protocol (individualized intensity) followed by a 10 km cycling time trial. Outcomes include measures of performance, heart rate, perceived exertion and recovery, blood glucose and lactate, and metabolic responses. Venous blood samples are collected at multiple time points before and after exercise and during the subsequent laboratory recovery period, and muscle biopsies are obtained at defined time points to assess muscle metabolism and recovery-related markers. Participants return \~24 hours after exercise for follow-up sampling after an overnight fast, including a glucose tolerance test

Conditions

Physical Performance; Glucose; Glycogen Metabolism; Lactate; Broccoli Sprout; Isothiocyanate

Keywords

Broccoli Sprouts; Lactate; Exercise; Glycogen; Isothiocyanate

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Lactate

  blood lactate (mmol/L) at predefined time points during exercise; venous sampling schedule as per protocol.

  During exercise and across the 0 to 8 hours recovery period (hourly venous samples), and at the follow-up, approximately 24 hours post-exercise.

• Glucose

  Blood glucose (mmol/L) at predefined time points during exercise; venous sampling schedule as per protocol.

  During exercise and across the 0 to 8 hours recovery period (hourly venous samples), and at the follow-up, approximately 24 hours post-exercise.

• Glycogen

  Muscle glycogen content in the vastus lateralis obtained from biopsies at pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, 8 hours post-exercise, and 24 hours post-exercise to quantify glycogen depletion during exercise and repletion during recovery

  Before exercise, immediately post-exercise, 8 hours post-exercise, and 24 hours post-exercise

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Physical performance

  Twice per visit. First, immediately following the standardized cycling protocol, and second, 4 hours post-exercise during the same intervention visit.

Study Arms (3)

placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants ingest placebo drink prepared from alfalfa sprouts (50 g) \~16 hours before exercise (evening prior) and placebo drink (50 g) \~3 hours before exercise (test day morning). Exercise protocol and sampling are identical to other conditions.

Dietary Supplement: Placebo drink

active, ~16 hours pre exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants ingest broccoli sprout drink (isothiocyanate-rich; 50 g sprouts) \~16 hours before exercise and placebo alfalfa sprout drink (50 g) \~3 hours before exercise. Exercise protocol and sampling are identical to other conditions.

Dietary Supplement: Broccoli sprout drink (isothiocyanate-rich

active, ~3 hours pre exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants ingest placebo alfalfa sprout drink (50 g) \~16 hours before exercise and broccoli sprout drink (isothiocyanate-rich; 50 g sprouts) \~3 hours before exercise. Exercise protocol and sampling are identical to other conditions.

Dietary Supplement: Broccoli sprout drink (isothiocyanate-rich

Interventions

Broccoli sprout drink (isothiocyanate-rich DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Active intervention is a drink prepared from broccoli sprouts (50 g per dose) as a natural source of glucosinolates/isothiocyanates (ITCs). Participants ingest the drink either \~16 hours before the exercise session (evening prior) or \~3 hours before the exercise session (test day morning), depending on randomized condition. The study compares the timing of ITC intake versus placebo, with identical procedures across conditions.

active, ~16 hours pre exercise; active, ~3 hours pre exercise

Placebo drink DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

The placebo intervention is a drink prepared from alfalfa sprouts (50g per dose) as a placebo. Participants ingest the drink at both \~16 hours before the exercise session (evening prior) and \~3 hours before the exercise session (test day morning). The study compares the timing of ITC intake versus placebo, with identical procedures across conditions.

placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy, endurance-trained adults aged 18-64 years.
• Regular endurance training (e.g., cycling/running) and ability to complete a standardized 2-hour high-intensity cycling session on an ergometer.
• Approved health declaration and screening assessment by study staff (including that ergometer testing can be performed safely).
• Willing and able to follow the study protocol (diet/fasting instructions, standardized training before visits, attendance at all four laboratory visits).
• No known allergy/hypersensitivity to ingredients in the broccoli sprout drink or placebo drink.

You may not qualify if:

• Known allergy/hypersensitivity to ingredients in the intervention or placebo drink (broccoli/cruciferous vegetables or alfalfa) or other relevant food allergy.
• Ongoing illness, fever, or infection at any test occasion, or other acute medical event judged to affect safety or data quality.
• Ongoing treatment with medications/supplements judged to affect primary outcomes or increase risk (e.g., anti-inflammatory medication close to test days per study instructions).
• Pregnancy (if women are included) or breastfeeding.
• Inability to comply with the study protocol (e.g., failure to standardize diet/fasting, deviating training/alcohol intake despite instructions, or repeated missed visits).
• Participant withdraws consent or investigator judges continued participation to pose risk.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Filip J Larsen, PhD

CONTACT

08-120 53 700; filip.larsen@gih.se

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 25, 2026
• First Posted: March 10, 2026
• Study Start: March 31, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2028
• Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share