AEROBIC ADAPTATION AND BIOMARKER RESPONSES IN COMBAT ATHLETES

NCT07473440 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ADYU-AEROBIC-ADAPTATION-2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled study investigates the effects of sport-specific training on aerobic adaptation and circulating biomarker responses in trained combat athletes. Exercise induces systemic physiological adaptations through signaling molecules known as exerkines, including myokines and adipokines, which mediate communication between skeletal muscle and other metabolic organs. Forty trained male kickboxers are randomly assigned to either an experimental training group or a control group. The experimental group performs an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular technical training, while the control group maintains their usual training routine. Aerobic capacity is assessed using maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max). Blood samples are collected before and after the intervention to determine circulating levels of exercise-responsive biomarkers, including myostatin, irisin, apelin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), and adiponectin. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate whether changes in circulating biomarker responses are associated with improvements in aerobic performance. The findings may provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced physiological adaptation in combat athletes.

Conditions

Exercise Adaptation; Aerobic Capacity; Athletic Performance; Combat Sports Training

Keywords

Myostatin; Myokines; Adipokines; Aerobic Adaptation; Combat Athletes; Exercise Physiology; VO2max

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• VO₂max

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Myostatin

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Irisin

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• Apelin

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• BDNF

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

• FGF21

  Baseline and after 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING GROUP

EXPERIMENTAL

PARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM THREE TIMES PER WEEK IN ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR COMBAT SPORT TRAINING.

Behavioral: SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM

CONTROL GROUP

NO INTERVENTION

PARTICIPANTS IN THIS GROUP CONTINUED THEIR USUAL COMBAT SPORT TRAINING WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL CONDITIONING PROGRAM.

Interventions

SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM BEHAVIORAL

PARTICIPANTS PERFORMED AN EIGHT-WEEK SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE AEROBIC CAPACITY. TRAINING SESSIONS WERE CONDUCTED THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND CONSISTED OF REPEATED HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVALS INTERSPERSED WITH SHORT RECOVERY PERIODS, REFLECTING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF COMBAT SPORTS.

SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING GROUP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male combat sport athletes aged between 18 and 25 years
• Minimum five years of competitive kickboxing experience
• Regular participation in training at least five days per week
• Currently competing at the national level

You may not qualify if:

• Musculoskeletal injury within the previous six months
• Cardiovascular or metabolic disease
• Use of medications or supplements that may affect metabolic or hormonal responses
• Participation in additional structured conditioning programs during the study period

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Adiyaman University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Adiyaman University Faculty of Sport Sciences

Adıyaman, Adıyaman Province, 02200, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (2)

• MacInnis MJ, Gibala MJ. (2017). Physiological adaptations to interval training and the role of exercise intensity. Journal of Physiology, 595(9), 2915-2930.

  BACKGROUND

• Chow LS, Gerszten RE, Taylor JM, Pedersen BK, et al. (2022). Exerkines in health, resilience and disease. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 18(5), 273-289.

  RESULT

Study Officials

• Eren Bozyılan

  Adiyaman University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group performing an eight-week sport-specific conditioning program in addition to regular training or a control group maintaining their habitual training routine.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 11, 2026
• First Posted: March 16, 2026
• Study Start: January 20, 2025
• Primary Completion: March 20, 2025
• Study Completion: March 25, 2025
• Last Updated: March 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

TU (1)