RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Bath Myorhythms Project

The Bath Myorhythms Project aims to understand how our body's internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, influences how our muscles use energy throughout the day. We all have daily rhythms of sleeping, waking, eating, and exercising, but we don't fully understand how these affect our body's metabolism. Most past research has been on animals, which are very different from humans. This study will involve people staying in a lab for 36 hours, where they'll have continuous feeding through a tube and provide blood and muscle samples. Some will exercise in the morning, some in the evening, and others won't exercise. This will help scientists learn how exercise timing affects our body's energy use at different times.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Bath

Enrolment target

Start

23 May 2025

Estimated completion

01 Nov 2027

Metabolic Regulation

What is this study about?

Our bodies have natural internal clocks that guide our daily activities like sleeping, waking, eating, and being active. These rhythms are important for keeping us healthy, and when they get out of sync, it can sometimes lead to health problems like metabolic diseases. Scientists have learned a lot about these rhythms from studying animals, but animals are quite different from humans in how they behave and how their bodies process food and energy.

This study is unique because it will carefully look at how these daily rhythms, especially in our muscles, work in humans. Muscles are very important for how our bodies use and store energy, and physical activity has a big impact on our energy levels. The researchers have developed special techniques to take muscle and blood samples throughout a 24-hour period to see how our muscles change and adapt over time. They've also found that how and when we eat can affect these rhythms.

The main goal of this project is to figure out exactly how our bodies process carbohydrates and proteins in our muscles throughout the day, and how this is linked to when and how much we exercise. By understanding these rhythms better, scientists hope to learn more about how to keep our bodies healthy and prevent metabolic problems in the future.

Key takeaways

Study explores how exercise timing affects body's daily rhythms.
Aims to understand muscle energy use in humans, not just animals.
Involves 36 hours in a lab with continuous feeding.
Participants will have blood and muscle samples taken.
Exercise will be either morning, evening, or no exercise for different groups.
May help improve future health advice regarding exercise and diet.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be a man or a woman between 18 and 50 years old. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) should be between 18 and 35, and your weight needs to be at least 67 kg.

You should be generally healthy, meaning you don't have metabolic illnesses like diabetes in your family history. You also need to have a regular sleep schedule, sleeping between 6 and 8 hours a night, and not be someone who strongly prefers being awake very early or very late. You must be willing to limit alcohol, caffeine, and hard exercise for a day before the study, and avoid certain medications or supplements for three weeks if they might affect the study results.

Before you start, you'll need to answer some questions and be checked to make sure you meet all the criteria. You also need to be willing to give your informed consent both verbally and in writing.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 50 years old?
Is your BMI between 18 and 35 (approximate weight between 67kg and 100-110kg)?
Do you have a regular sleep schedule (6-8 hours per night)?
Are you generally healthy with no diagnosed metabolic illnesses?
Can you avoid alcohol, caffeine, and strenuous exercise for a day before the study?
Are you willing to follow specific diet and lifestyle instructions for one week before the main visit?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll first have a screening visit at the lab. This will include a simple exercise test on a bike. For the week before your main lab visit, you'll need to follow specific instructions about your diet and lifestyle. This includes keeping a diary of when you sleep and wake, tracking what you eat, and wearing special gadgets to monitor your activity, light exposure, and blood sugar levels. You'll also be given standard meals for the 24 hours leading up to your lab stay.

You'll arrive at the lab at 7 PM the day before the main monitoring period, have a meal, and then spend the night sleeping there. Starting at 6 AM the next morning, even while you're still asleep, researchers will begin giving you special sugar and protein through a drip to help them measure how your body uses these. After you wake up, your resting metabolism will be measured by collecting your breath. A second drip will be inserted, and a feeding tube will be gently placed through your nose into your stomach. Through this, you'll receive a balanced liquid meal continuously for 24 hours. A muscle sample will be taken around 7:30 AM. Depending on which group you're in, you'll either cycle for one hour at 8 AM, at 8 PM, or you'll rest for the entire 24 hours in the lab. Blood and muscle samples will be taken throughout your 36-hour stay.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may help scientists better understand how our bodies work, especially how exercise timing affects our metabolism. This knowledge could lead to better health advice in the future. As with any medical procedure, there are some potential risks, such as discomfort from blood draws, muscle samples, or having a feeding tube. The researchers will take every precaution to ensure your safety and comfort. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University of Bath
Verified postcode
Bath, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'metabolic regulation'?

It's how your body controls its energy and basic life processes, like turning food into energy, growing, and getting rid of waste.

What are 'circadian rhythms'?

These are your body's natural 24-hour cycles, like your sleep-wake pattern, that respond to light and darkness.

Will I have to stay overnight in the lab?

Yes, participants will stay in the laboratory for 36 hours, including sleeping there for two nights.

What is a 'nasogastric tube'?

It's a thin, flexible tube that goes through your nose down to your stomach to deliver liquid food or medicine.

Will I feel pain during muscle sampling?

Local anaesthetic will be used to numb the area, so you should feel minimal discomfort during the muscle samples (biopsies).

How to find out more

James A Betts, PhD

jb335@bath.ac.uk 01225 383 448 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.