Effects of calorie and carbohydrate restriction on exercise capacity

The Effects of Combined Energy and Carbohydrate Restriction on Exercise Capacity and Health in Overweight Women

Not applicable Interventional University of Aarhus · NCT06381908

This study is testing how a calorie-restricted diet with low or moderate carbs affects exercise ability and health in overweight women aged 20-35.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment40 (estimated)
Ages20 Years to 35 Years
SexFemale
SponsorUniversity of Aarhus Academic / other
Locations1 site (Aarhus C)
Trial IDNCT06381908 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates how a calorie-restricted diet combined with low or moderate carbohydrate availability affects exercise capacity and metabolic health in overweight women aged 20-35. Forty participants will be randomly assigned to either a low carbohydrate or moderate carbohydrate diet for 10 days, with physical capacity tests and blood and muscle samples taken before and after the intervention. The trial is designed to be single-blinded to minimize bias in the results, while ensuring that the diet handling is managed by individuals not involved in testing. The outcomes will provide insights into the relationship between diet composition and physical performance.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy premenopausal women aged 20-35 with a BMI between 25 and 30 who are relatively inactive.

Not a fit: Patients with irregular menstruation, lower body injuries, or those who engage in systematic physical activity for more than 2 hours per week may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could help develop effective dietary strategies to improve exercise capacity and metabolic health in overweight individuals.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown varying success with dietary interventions on exercise capacity, but this specific combination of calorie and carbohydrate restriction is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age: 20-35
* BMI: 25-30

Exclusion Criteria:

* Irregular menstruation within the last 6 months (shorter end 24 days or longer end 35 days cycle)
* Injuries / pain in the lower body, which prevents participation in intense cycling
* Medication consumption that may affect primary outcome measures.
* Smoking
* Pregnancy
* Systematic physical activity more than 2 hours per week

Where this trial is running

Aarhus C

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Overweight and ObesityPhysical activityMetabolismPhysical capacityMacronutrientsCarbohydrateDiet
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.