Camel Milk Impact on Aerobic Exercise Recovery, Induced Inflammation, and Physical Performance

NCT07491705 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: ERH_2023_3935
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 12
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Study title Camel Milk Impact on Aerobic Exercise Recovery, Induced Inflammation, and Physical Performance Investigator Dr. Mo'ath Bataineh Department of Nutrition and Health College of Medicine \& Health Sciences United Arab Emirates University Brief Summary This study aims to examine the effects of post-exercise camel milk consumption on recovery and subsequent high-intensity cycling performance in recreationally trained adult males. The primary objective is to determine whether camel milk improves time to exhaustion and overall workload compared with cow's milk or water. Secondary objectives include assessing its impact on muscle soreness, muscle damage, and inflammatory markers following intense exercise. Participants are healthy, non-obese males over 18 years of age with no milk allergies and not using antioxidant supplements, anti-inflammatory drugs, or antibiotics. A total of 12 individuals will be enrolled. The study involves four laboratory visits. The first includes an educational workshop on recording diet and exercise, development of an individualized standardized diet, and baseline assessments of body measurements and aerobic performance (peak work rate, heart rate, maximum speed at exhaustion, and VO₂max). The remaining three visits occur 4-5 days apart. In each session, resting physiological measures are recorded, followed by a cycling exercise. Participants then consume the assigned experimental beverage and rest for 210 minutes before completing a second cycling test. Four blood samples are collected per visit at designated time points. Participation is voluntary, and individuals may withdraw at any time. There are no anticipated risks beyond potential discomfort from some questions or procedures. Although participants may not receive direct personal benefit, the findings may contribute to improved understanding of exercise recovery strategies. All collected information will remain confidential, with identifying data stored securely and not included in any publications. Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and required reports to UAEU's Human Research Ethics Committee and the Research Office. The project is conducted and funded by United Arab Emirates University and has received ethical approval by UAEU Human Ethics Committee on February 7, 2024, (ERH\_2023\_3935).

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Milk; Exercise; Recovery; Induced Inflammation; Physical Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Time to Exhaustion (minutes)

  Duration of the cycling-to-exhaustion test recorded in minutes

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

• Exercise Capacity (workload in watts)

  Maximum workload achieved during the post recovery exercise capacity test

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Heart Rate (beats per minute)

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE units)

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

• Oxygen Consumption (VO₂; mL·kg-¹·min-¹)

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

• Carbon Dioxide Production (VCO₂; mL·kg-¹·min-¹)

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

• Plasma Cytokines (pg/mL)

  From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 hours

Study Arms (3)

Control

OTHER

No treatment

Other: Control

Camel Milk

EXPERIMENTAL

Received camel milk

Dietary Supplement: Camel Milk

Cow Milk

EXPERIMENTAL

Received cow milk

Dietary Supplement: Cow Milk

Interventions

Control OTHER

Twelve recreationally trained healthy male participants will be recruited to perform three cycling to volitional exhaustion trials followed by 4-hour recovery period and a subsequent exercise capacity test. Following conclusion of the cycling exercise session and within a period of 30 minutes at the start of the recovery period from the cycling exercise, an equal 500 ml volume of either water, cow milk, or camel milk will be consumed in a crossover counterbalanced design. Time to exhaustion, heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and workload will be recorded per trial. Blood samples will be collected before and after exercise to determine plasma levels of systemic cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and creatine kinase (CK).

Control

Camel Milk DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Twelve recreationally trained healthy male participants will be recruited to perform three cycling to volitional exhaustion trials followed by 4-hour recovery period and a subsequent exercise capacity test. Following conclusion of the cycling exercise session and within a period of 30 minutes at the start of the recovery period from the cycling exercise, an equal 500 ml volume of either water, cow milk, or camel milk will be consumed in a crossover counterbalanced design. Time to exhaustion, heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and workload will be recorded per trial. Blood samples will be collected before and after exercise to determine plasma levels of systemic cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and creatine kinase (CK).

Camel Milk

Cow Milk DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Twelve recreationally trained healthy male participants will be recruited to perform three cycling to volitional exhaustion trials followed by 4-hour recovery period and a subsequent exercise capacity test. Following conclusion of the cycling exercise session and within a period of 30 minutes at the start of the recovery period from the cycling exercise, an equal 500 ml volume of either water, cow milk, or camel milk will be consumed in a crossover counterbalanced design. Time to exhaustion, heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and workload will be recorded per trial. Blood samples will be collected before and after exercise to determine plasma levels of systemic cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and creatine kinase (CK).

Cow Milk

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 39 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Recreational athlete
• Active 5 Days a Week
• Male
• Healthy
• Non-Obese
• to 30 years old
• No allergies to milk.

You may not qualify if:

• Sedentary
• Female
• Allergies to milk
• Presence of diseases

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United Arab Emirates University: lead

Study Sites (1)

United Arab Emirates University Building E3 Room 0015

Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi Emirate, 15551, United Arab Emirates

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Interventions

Milk

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Beverages; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Dairy Products; Food; Food and Beverages

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 11, 2026
• First Posted: March 24, 2026
• Study Start: April 30, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 30, 2025
• Study Completion: June 1, 2025
• Last Updated: March 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

AE (1)