STUDIES IN PROGRESS: SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

Treatment Strategy to Improve the Exercise Response in Older Adults

Previous work in our lab has shown that older adults have an impaired response to a single exercise bout compared to younger. This study is investigating whether the exercise response can be improved by combining acute exercise with sulforaphane, a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage. This study is funded by the National Institutes on Aging and is a collaboration with investigators at Villanova University.
 

• Who are we recruiting? Healthy men and women, 60y or older, currently inactive and non-smokers.
• What does the study entail?

Eligible participants will complete four visits:

Visit 1 – Screening visit, including a maximal exercise test measuring aerobic capacity
Visit 2 – Acute exercise trial consisting of 30-minute exercise on a stationary bike with blood draws before and after (no supplementation)
Visits 3 & 4 – Acute exercise trials, same as in visit 2, but with a single dose of sulforaphane (or placebo) consumed 90-minutes prior to the exercise. The order of trials will be randomized.

• Is there compensation?

Participants will receive $125 upon completion of the study.

For more information please contact Tinna Traustadóttir at tinna.traustadottir@nau.edu

 

Does Sulforaphane Supplementation Improve Cell Signaling in Older Adults?

Exercise improves health through cell signaling that results in adaptations to increase stress resilience. However, exercise-induced protective response is decreased in older adults. Another way to stimulate protective cell signaling is through phytonutrients such as those present in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. The aim of this study is to investigate whether we can improve the exercise response with a short term supplementation of sulforaphane (SFN), the active phytonutrient in broccoli.  This study is funded by the Hooper Undergraduate Research Award to Izaac Molina.
 

• Who are we recruiting? Healthy, non-smoking men and women, 60 years or older
• What does the study entail?

The study requires 3 visits to the laboratory. The first one is for screening purposes and also includes a maximal exercise stress test. The second visit is a 30-minute exercise trial on a stationary cycle with blood draws taken before and after. Participants will then start a daily dose of sulforaphane supplementation for 7-days and then complete the same exercise trial as during visit 2.

• Is there compensation? There is no monetary compensation.

For more information please contact Izaac Molina at iam97@nau.edu

Parking is available for all of our studies. If you are interested in more information or to find out if you qualify for any of these studies you may also contact Dr. Traustadóttir at 928-523-7291 or via email at: tinna.traustadottir@nau.edu.