Inflammation Studies
Clinical studies on inflammation can be performed in a fairly healthy population, or in a population suffering from a specific inflammatory health problem. Studies on inflammation require that some inflammation is present or can be induced for the purpose of the study.
- Examples of clinical studies on existing inflammatory conditions include:
- Relief of chronic joint- and muscle-related pain,
- Weight/fat loss and improved metabolic function,
- Improved cardiovascular health,
- Improved gastrointestinal health.
- Examples of inflammation studies in healthy people include:
- Exercise-induced inflammation and recovery.
Examples of studies we have published are here.
Controlling the Study Environment
Controlling the study environment is especially important when conducting studies aimed at collecting data on inflammation and immune status. A properly balanced immune system is at the heart of preventing disease and reducing chronic inflammation. The immune and inflammatory responses are highly sensitive to stressors. It is also important to control for factors such as circadian cycle and sleep.
Studies on Chronic Pain
Natural non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical methods for chronic pain management are in high demand.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to several degenerative human joint diseases and can affect pain thresholds, thus altering the perception of pain and further reducing range of motion and levels of physical activity.
Collection of data on pain levels when a subject is at rest as well as when physically active is an important part of the study design. It is typical to see a transient improvement in pain scores, followed by a transient return to baseline levels. This is expected of chronic pain studies where an initial pain relief allows increased physical activity, resulting in either no further change or even a slight increase in pain scores, due to the increased activity. Understanding pain scores in context of activity levels and overall wellness is important.
Collecting data on self-reported quality of sleep and energy levels, which often increase when pain management improves, can add further value to the data.
Collection of blood samples during a study allows for detailed assessment of inflammatory status, cytokine profile, and markers pertaining to oxidative stress.
