Why some get fitter faster: exercise study probes muscle clues
NCT ID NCT06141512
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at why some people improve their aerobic fitness more than others with exercise. Researchers had 21 healthy men do short, intense cycling workouts and measured changes in fitness and certain muscle signals called myokines. The goal was to see if low responders have weaker myokine responses, which could help design better exercise plans.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help explain why some people improve their fitness more than others with exercise, potentially leading to personalized training programs.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 21 healthy men, so results may not apply to women or people with health conditions. It is observational and does not test a treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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21 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2023
- Finished
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Jun 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 40 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male * Age ≥ 18 y or \<40 y * BMI \< 35 kg/m2 * otherwise healthy, untrained individuals Exclusion Criteria: * Age \<18 y or \>40 y * BMI \> 35 kg/m2 * classification of 'highly physically active' according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) * answering 'yes' to one or more questions on a standard Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) * resting heart rate ≥100bpm, clinically significant hypertension (140/90 mmHg) * a personal history of metabolic or cardiovascular disease * Female participants because of unknown effects of the menstrual cycle on the levels of the measured myokines.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
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