KANNAPOLIS — The Appalachian State University Human Performance Lab at the NC Research Campus (NCRC) is recruiting 40 participants, 15 runners and 25 cyclists, for a research study this fall. The study will test the effectiveness of an eight-week supplementation of an Egg IgY antibody in reducing the rates for the common cold and similar illnesses and to counter act inflammation, oxidative stress and negative immune changes.
IgY is a special antibody made by hens that accumulates in the egg yolk and protects newborn chicks against viruses and bacteria. “There is a belief among some IgY researchers that humans can receive several benefits from consuming concentrated egg IgY,” said David Neiman, DrPH, FACSM, director of the Human Performance Lab at the NCRC and principal investigator for the study.
“We hope to learn if ingesting egg IgY will benefit cyclists and runners by reducing the number of days sick, improving immune function while countering the typical, negative changes in immune function that follow three days of intense exercise.”
The study will take place at the Human Performance Lab at the NCRC and involve a time commitment of approximately 12 hours. The first visit is estimated to take about an hour in order to conduct aerobic fitness and body fat tests. During the second visit, participants will provide a blood sample and receive either the IgY supplement or placebo made from white rice powder. The third and fourth visits will be held on consecutive days and involve 2.5 hour exercise sessions. Visits six and seven will be for follow-up blood draws to measure immune function, muscle damage and inflammation markers. Participants will be required to continue their regular training and log training distances and sickness symptoms. Participants will receive $500 for taking part in the study.
Complete study details and enrollment criteria are available by emailing asu-ncrc@apstate.edu or calling the Human Performance Lab at 704-250-5359 or 704-250-5351.
The ASU/NCRC Human Performance Lab is a national leader in the area of nutrition and exercise immunology. Working closely with trained and amateur athletes, corporate collaborators and sponsors as well as community participants, the Human Performance Lab’s mission is to investigate the influence of unique plant molecules on age-related loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia), muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and exercise-induced changes in immune function, oxidative stress and inflammation.
For more information, visit www.ncresearchcampus.net. For more information about research studies at the NC Research Campus, visit Participate in a Study.