The Effects of Acute Erythropoietin on Hepcidin and Dietary Iron Absorption Following Military-relevant Exercise in Energy Deficit: Pilot Study

NCT07517562 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2023-082
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 6
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Military personnel frequently experience declines in iron status during training and when in the field, which may compromise performance. The overall purpose of this study is to determine why the decline in iron status occurs and potential countermeasures. Participants will be given an acute dose of erythropoietin (EPO) or placebo and will complete a 90-minute load carriage exercise test. Prior to the main trial, this pilot study will determine the optimal approach to assess iron absorption following exercise (red blood cell incorporation or plasma isotope appearance), the percentage of iron incorporated into red blood cells with EPO compared to placebo, and the timing of the intervention.

Conditions

Iron Absorption

Keywords

Iron; Iron status; Iron deficiency; Iron deficiency anemia; Military; Exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Fractional iron absorption

  Iron absorption as measured by iron incorporation into red blood cells

  14 days post-exercise

• Plasma isotope appearance

  Plasma iron isotope appearance

  0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 360 minutes post-exercise

• Red blood cell iron incorporation

  The calculation to determine dietary iron absorption accounts for the fact that not all absorbed iron is incorporated into red blood cells. This can either be an assumed constant of 80% or experimentally determined by administering a second isotope intravenously. Pilot testing will be used to assess whether the investigators can use 80% or whether iron uptake by red blood cells is greater after EPO compared to placebo.

  50 minutes infusion of a stable iron isotope following exercise

• Timing of intervention

  Blood will be collected over time to ensure blood biomarkers return to baseline following EPO.

  1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days following EPO

Study Arms (2)

EPO

EXPERIMENTAL

Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO)

Other: Exercise test

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Saline placebo

Other: Exercise test

Interventions

Exercise test OTHER

90-minute load carriage exercise test on a treadmill

EPO; Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Males and premenopausal females ages 18-45 years
• Physically active

You may not qualify if:

• Low iron stores (ferritin \<15 mg/mL)
• Anemia (females: hemoglobin \< 12 g/dL, males: hemoglobin \< 13 g/dL)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Pennington Biomedical Research Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70808, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Iron Deficiencies; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Motor Activity

Interventions

Exercise Test

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Iron Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Anemia, Hypochromic; Anemia; Hematologic Diseases; Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Heart Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Respiratory Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; Ergometry; Investigative Techniques

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 4, 2025
• First Posted: April 8, 2026
• Study Start: September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2025
• Study Completion: May 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)