Studies in progress

Oxidative Stress & Exercise Training

Previous work in our lab has shown that older men have an impaired response to a single exercise bout compared to younger men. This study is investigating whether this impairment with aging can be improved with regular exercise training over 8-weeks. The study is almost complete, we need 6 more participants. This study is funded by the National Institutes on Aging.

•  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 three trials after a screening visit; i) a maximal exercise test measuring aerobic capacity, ii) oxidative stress challenge that includes blood draw, and iii) 30-minute exercise on a stationary bike with blood draws before and after. Participants are randomized to either an inactive control group or an 8-week exercise intervention. The exercise intervention is  3 d/wk for 8-weeks at NAU, supervised by study personnel. After the 8-week intervention subjects will come back into the lab to perform the same three testing visits described above.

• Is there compensation?

Participants will receive $200 upon completion of the study.

For more information please contact Ethan Ostrom at elo42@nau.edu

Sex Differences in Oxidative Stress

Disease occurrence and outcomes are critically influenced by sex but little is known whether oxidative stress, one of the key factors in etiology of age-related diseases, differs between men and women.  In this study we are investigating sex differences in the resistance to oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity.

•  Who are we recruiting?

Postmenopausal women (at least one year since their last menstrual cycle) and men who are 55 years or older. Participants must be healthy, non-smokers.

• What does the study entail?

A total of 3 visits including screening and maximal exercise test, a non-exercise oxidative stress trial with blood draws, and a 30-minute exercise on a stationary cycle with blood draws before and after.

• Is there compensation?

Participants will receive $35 upon completion of the study.

For more information please contact Savannah Berry at srb364@nau.edu

Intensity and Repeated Bout Study

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a popular exercise mode. An earlier study from our lab compared a single exercise bout of HIIT to constant workload (CW) protocol in young men and found that these protocols elicited some different cell signaling responses. In the present study we are investigating whether these results extend to women. Additionally, to better understand the early response to training we are comparing the responses across three exercise sessions performed every other day, for each protocol (with 2-weeks break in-between).

•  Who are we recruiting?

Healthy, non-smoking women, 30-45 years old.

• What does the study entail?

After completing baseline testing (1 visit to the lab), participants will be randomized to a constant workload protocol or a high intensity protocol. Each individual will complete three exercise sessions of the designated protocol and then crossover, completing three additional exercise sessions of the other exercise protocol. The total number of visits are 8, over approximately 4-5 weeks.

• Is there compensation?

There is no monetary compensation.

For more information please contact Ciara Terry at cqt3@nau.edu

Sulforaphane and Exercise Pilot Study

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 the addition of sulforaphane (SFN), the active phytonutrient in broccoli. However, our approach is to treat cells that we isolate from blood draws before and after the acute exercise with the SFN – therefore, subjects will not be taking a supplement.   This study is funded by the Hooper Undergraduate Research Award (H. Beskind) and the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (N. Jones).

•  Who are we recruiting?

Healthy, non-smoking men and women, 55 years or older

• What does the study entail?

Two visits, one for screening and maximal exercise test and the other for an acute exercise trial consisting of 30-minute cycling and blood draws before and immediately after. Participants are not required to consume any phytonutrients, rather cells isolated from the blood samples will be treated and compared to untreated cells.

• Is there compensation?

There is no monetary compensation.

For more information please contact Hannah Beskind at hgb9@nau.edu or Nadja Jones at ncj36@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.