Trained vs Untrained: How Endurance Status Affects Lung Blood Flow During Blood Volume Changes
Official title: Central Blood Volume Shifts in Healthy Adults With Varying Levels of Fitness: Effects on Lung Diffusing Capacity
Run by University of Alberta · NCT07897357 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether highly trained athletes show different lung blood flow responses when blood return to the heart changes, compared with untrained individuals.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Alberta Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Edmonton, Alberta) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 9, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 15, 2027 |
| Study ends | June 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07897357 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18-40 who are either endurance-trained or untrained, without major chronic diseases or recent blood donations, and able to complete pulmonary and exercise testing.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with severe obesity, recent smoking or cannabis use, pregnancy, significant cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, or other listed exclusions may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study explores how endurance training status and sex influence pulmonary diffusing capacity and its components during acute central blood volume changes induced by lower body pressure and body tilt. Participants undergo multiple visits, including screening, pulmonary function tests, and graded exercise testing, with interventions using lower body positive and negative pressure and positional changes. The goal is to see if trained athletes have greater DLCO changes than untrained individuals and whether females differ from males in these responses. The research will be conducted at the University of Alberta's Clinical Physiology Laboratory in Edmonton over up to four months, with careful screening and safety measures in place.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve understanding of how fitness level influences lung-circulation responses during body position changes and blood volume shifts.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has examined DLCO responses to physiological stress, but this study tests a specific combination of training status, sex, and controlled blood volume changes, which represents a novel approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18-40 years old. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe obesity (body mass index \>35 kg/m2). * Self-reported blood donation or transfusion in the past 60 days. Large artificial fluctuations in blood volume may impact the findings of the present study. * Pregnancy. To confirm this, women not using contraception will be given a pregnancy test. Pregnancy presents additional complications and may confound the results of the study; therefore, pregnant women will be excluded. * Known chronic disease (heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal disease). * Participants with known postural orthostatic tachycardic syndrome or orthostatic hypotension. * Participants who currently smoke cigarettes (within the last month) or those who have \>1 pack-year smoking history. * Participants who currently smoke cannabis products (within the last month) or those who have \>1 joint-year cannabis history.
Where it's running
-
Clinical Physiology Laboratory
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Michael K Stickland, PhD — University of Alberta
- Study coordinator: Desi P Fuhr, MSc
- Email: fuhr@ualberta.ca
- Phone: 780-492-1121
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
How blood flow restriction leg training affects muscles and blood markers
This project tests if six weeks of blood flow restriction leg training changes muscle size and blood biomarkers in healthy adults aged 18–40, including both people new to strength training and experienced athletes.
-
Deep Brain Reorienting for PTSD in Veterans
This study tests whether Deep Brain Reorienting can help reduce PTSD symptoms in military veterans compared with usual care.
-
Big Steps: Early Walking and Sedentary-Reduction After Stroke
This trial tests whether a guided stepping program and strategies to cut sitting time can help people 50 and older who recently had a stroke improve daily walking and reduce disability.
-
EHR-guided LDL cholesterol optimization after a heart event
A pharmacist-guided program using electronic health records to help adults in Alberta reach LDL goals after a heart event by adjusting medications and ordering tests.
-
Testing AI translation vs. professional translation for knowledge resources for parents
We’re testing whether an AI translation of parent-focused health resources works as well as professional translation for Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Urdu-speaking families in Canada.
-
Timing of Rehabilitation After Cervical Spine Surgery in Degenerative Myelopathy
This study tests whether starting physical therapy two weeks after cervical spine surgery helps people with degenerative cervical myelopathy recover better than starting at six weeks.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.