Pumping iron for mental health: study tests if exercise boosts blood vessels in PTSD and anxiety
NCT ID NCT04916340
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how different exercise programs affect blood vessel function in people with PTSD or generalized anxiety disorder, compared to healthy individuals. Researchers will measure changes in arm and leg blood vessel dilation after 10 weeks of strength training. The goal is to understand if exercise can help reduce the higher risk of heart disease seen in people with these mental health conditions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- exercise training (muscular strength and muscular fitness programs)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that specific exercise programs improve blood vessel health in people with mental health disorders, pointing toward simple, drug-free ways to reduce heart disease risk.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage observational study, not a treatment trial. It may find no clear benefit, and results may not apply to people on medications or with other health conditions.
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
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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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About 240 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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 35 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- 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: * apparently healthy and free of overt cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease * for PTSD group, a score of ≥ 33 on PCL-5 checklist * for GAD group, a score of ≥ 10 on the GAD-7 self-report scale and \< 33 on the PCL-5 checklist * for Healthy Control group, a score of ≤ 10 on the GAD-7 self-report scale and \< 33 on the PCL-5 checklist Exclusion Criteria: * taking medications that could influence cardiovascular function * current smokers who have recently quit smoking * illicit drug use or excessive alcohol consumption * pregnant women * significant calorie restriction or vitamin/mineral deficiencies * limited English proficiency
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Virginia Commonwealth University
RECRUITINGRichmond, Virginia, 23298, United States
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- Can a smartphone app calm anxiety and protect the heart?
- Can a new daily pill offer lasting relief for anxiety?