Recruiting

Taurine

Sponsor:

Louisiana State University and A&M College

Code:

NCT07654946

Conditions

Local Muscular Endurance and Fatigue

NIRS Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity

Acute Taurine Supplementation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 40

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Acute Taurine Supplementation

Acute Placebo Supplementation

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the association between near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity of the vastus lateralis muscles, and both local muscular endurance capacity and local muscular fatigability of the thigh muscles in young adults. Additionally, this trial aims to determine the effect of acute taurine supplementation on local muscular endurance capacity and local muscular fatigability when compared to a placebo condition. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Will there be a positive correlation between NIRS rate constant (a marker of mitochondrial function) and local muscular endurance capacity, along with a negative correlation between NIRS rate constant and local muscular fatigability?
2. Will acute taurine supplementation lead to improvements in local muscular endurance capacity and local muscular fatigability when compared to a placebo condition?

Participants will:

1. Complete a NIRS assessment to non-invasively assess the mitochondrial capacity of both vastus lateralis muscles
2. Complete two acute supplementation assessment visits (separated by 7-10 days) which involve small blood collections before and after taurine or placebo supplementation
3. Perform a single-leg extension time-to-exhaustion test to measure local muscular endurance capacity on one leg, along with a repeated maximal voluntary isometric contraction fatigue index test to measure local muscular fatigability on the opposite leg, during each acute supplementation assessment visit.

Conditions

Local Muscular Endurance and Fatigue

NIRS Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity

Acute Taurine Supplementation

Study ID

NCT07654946

Start date

Jul 15, 2026

Status verified date

Aug, 2026

Completion date

Jan 15, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan 15, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 40

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Capable and willing to give written informed consent
  • Capable of understanding inclusion and exclusion criteria
  • No medical condition that would limit participation in supervised exercise
  • No current prescription medications known to impact mitochondrial function
  • Sedentary or recreationally active (self-report average MVPA < 300 mins/week)
  • Willing to allow researchers to use data for research purposes

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Self-report history of diabetes mellitus
  • Self-report history of cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, cerebral vascular, pulmonary, or renal disease
  • Self-report history of uncontrolled hypertension (resting systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg)
  • Self-report history of blood clotting disorders
  • Self-report history of sickle cell trait
  • Self-report history of myopathy leading to muscle loss, weakness, severe cramps, or myalgia
  • Self-report history of musculoskeletal disorders
  • Self-report history of lower limb musculoskeletal injuries that may cause significant differences in the functional capacities of the right and left legs
  • Self-report history of neurological disorders
  • Active tobacco, E-cigarette, or nicotine use
  • Recent (within previous 2 weeks) consumption of energy drinks or supplements containing ≥ 1 gram of taurine on > 2 days/week
  • Actively taking medications to treat blood-clotting disorders
  • Any condition that, in the judgement of the Principal Investigator, may interfere with study participation and adherence to the protocol
  • Participants may be excluded if measured adipose tissue thickness is > 2.0 cm at the site of NIRS assessment or if the accessor is unable to obtain high-quality NIRS signals

Study Design

Enrollment

34 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Acute Taurine Supplementation

Participants will ingest six taurine capsules (6 grams of taurine)

placebo comparator: Acute Placebo Supplementation

Participants will ingest six placebo capsules (1.2 grams of microcrystalline cellulose)

Interventions

Acute Taurine Supplementation

Participants will ingest six taurine capsules (6 grams of taurine) following a baseline blood collection to determine baseline plasma taurine levels. 60 minutes following ingestion, there will be an additional blood collection to determine post-supplementation plasma taurine levels. Participants will then perform exercise assessments. The order of taurine supplementation relative to placebo supplementation will be randomized in a double-blind crossover with 7-10 days separating each condition.

Acute Placebo Supplementation

Participants will ingest six placebo capsules (1.2 grams of microcrystalline cellulose) following a baseline blood collection to determine baseline plasma taurine levels. 60 minutes following ingestion, there will be an additional blood collection to determine post-supplementation plasma taurine levels. Participants will then perform exercise assessments. The order of placebo supplementation relative to taurine supplementation will be randomized in a double-blind crossover with 7-10 days separating each condition.

Primary outcome measure

  • Single Leg Extension Time-to-Exhaustion [ Time Frame: From Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 1 to Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 2, 7-10 days ]
  • Single-Leg Muscular Fatigue Index [ Time Frame: From Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 1 to Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 2, 7-10 days ]
  • Correlation Between Vastus Lateralis NIRS Rate Constant and Single-Leg Extension Time-to-Exhaustion [ Time Frame: From the NIRS Assessment Visit to Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 2, approximately 2-3 weeks ]
  • Correlation Between Vastus Lateralis NIRS Rate Constant and Single-Leg Muscular Fatigue Index [ Time Frame: From the NIRS Assessment Visit to Acute Supplementation Assessment Visit 2, approximately 2-3 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Efthymios Papadopoulos, PhD

225-578-0938epap@lsu.edu

Carlante Emerson, MS

225-733-4693cemers2@lsu.edu

Locations

Huey P. Long Fieldhouse Exercise Physiology Laboratory

Recruiting

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, 70802

Contacts

Efthymios Papadopoulos, PhD

225-578-0938epap@lsu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Louisiana State University and A&M College

Last update posted

Aug 26, 2026

Last verified

Aug, 2026

Keywords

  • NIRS
  • Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
  • Muscle Fatigue
  • Muscular Endurance
  • Skeletal Muscle
  • Mitochondrial Function
  • Taurine Supplementation
  • Exercise Performance

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Louisiana State University and A&M College on 2026-08-26.