Berry juice may help soldiers beat the heat
NCT ID NCT05678738
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at how women and men differ when exercising in extreme heat, and whether an antioxidant berry drink can help. 108 healthy adults did intense exercise in hot conditions over several days. Researchers measured body temperature, heart rate, sweat, and thinking skills. The goal is to find ways to prevent heat illness and improve performance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Antioxidant berry supplement
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to better ways to prevent heat-related injuries and improve performance for soldiers and athletes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study focused on understanding differences, not testing a treatment. Results may not apply to everyone.
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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108 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2021
- Finished
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Apr 2024
- 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 50 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: * Participants will be healthy men and women, aged 18-50 years, who speak and read the English language fluently. This is required because some of the cognitive tests test grammatical reasoning and offer directional cues recorded as audio files in English. VO2max tests will provide evidence of level of aerobic fitness required to participate in this study. The investigators will use ≥45 ml·kg-1·min-1 for male participants, ≥40 ml·kg-1·min-1 for female participants as our threshold for inclusion. * The target composition of our subject sample is 50% men and 50% women. * No difficulties with vision, hearing, or ability to read a computer screen and operate a computer keyboard and mouse. Exclusion Criteria: * unable to visit the laboratory on the required, consistent schedule and consecutive required days (Days 2 and 3, Days 12 and 13) * any contraindications to participating in exercise lasting 60-120 minutes daily during a period of 2 consecutive days, 5 days within an 8-day period, and 2 additional days (if subjects elect to participate in the entire study, all options), screening will include resting blood pressure to exclude pre-hypertensive or hypertensive participants (resting BP \> 120 mmHg and 80mmHg systolic and diastolic, respectively) * any contraindications to exposure to exercise-heat stress (e.g., medications that affect thermoregulation, family or personal history of issues with anesthetics that indicate possible susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia, evidence of past heat intolerance) * tobacco use or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) within the past 6 months * chronic illness (including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, thyroid disease, for example) or other chronic illnesses that make it unsafe for participants to participate in daily rigorous exercise in the heat * regular supplementation with blood thinners, including the use of aspirin * acute illness (e.g., influenza, head cold, gastrointestinal illness) during the week of scheduled testing * current positive COVID-test or infection and past COVID infection within past 6 months * contraindications to blood draw and if elected to be considered for participation with microdialysis and skeletal muscle biopsy procedures, contraindications to those individual procedures * for subjects who may not complete a DXA scan, history of claustrophobia * history of allergic reactions to medical tape and/or latex * currently participating in "non-traditional" diets including diets such as intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, highly limited consumption of large food classes (e.g., vegan) * consumption of antioxidant supplementation on a regular, long-term basis outside of the aronia supplementation regime for the study * limited decision-making ability * inability to participate in extended physical activity on a treadmill (i.e., standing, running, jogging, walking) * consumption of a non-traditional diet including diets such as intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, highly limited consumption of large food classes (e.g., vegan) (this includes individuals who are suffering with current diagnosed or undiagnosed eating disorder) * allergy to povidone, ethyl chloride, lidocaine, or bacitracin * pregnant or positive pregnancy test during DXA pre-procedures (see DXA SOP) * allergy to aronia berries, monkfruit, or sham juice ingredients
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
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Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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