Dear ,

Did you know that WSER has been supporting research to further the science and understanding of ultramarathon runners for over fifteen years? This research couldn’t be achieved without volunteer participation from racers.
 
Our research team has returned and is recruiting volunteers for our study on Genetic and Blood Biomarker Determinants of Bone Health in Ultramarathoners to better understand how bone density, genetic markers, and blood biomarkers impact bone stress injury (stress reaction and stress fracture) risk in ultramarathoners.
 
If you agree to participate,
 
  • You will complete a short, 15-minute online questionnaire prior to race day and at one-year post-race. The questionnaire will ask questions on nutrition habits, injury history, and training patterns.
  • You will have your bone density measured using a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner. DXA testing will take place on site (near race registration) in the two days prior to race start.
  • You will undergo genetic testing, which involves spitting in a test tube. This will take place on site through AxGen’s genetic kits.
  • You will complete InsideTracker laboratory testing on site pre-race in the morning. We will measure Vitamin D, estradiol, testosterone, and ferritin.
  • You will receive your DXA bone density results, your laboratory results, and your genetic predictors of sports injury biomarkers. Your DXA results will be communicated to you by our research team. Genetic results will be available on AxGen’s secure online portal and a physician on our research team will be available for counseling. You will not receive any genetic information beyond potential risk for sports injury. The InsideTracker laboratory results will be available on InsideTracker’s secure online portal.
 
The Fine Print:
Risks of the study include a very small amount of radiation exposure from a DXA scan, which is equivalent to less than one day of background environmental radiation. Benefits of participating in the study include receiving information that could be valuable to your health and performance and contributing to research in the ultramarathon population.
 
We hope to use the results of our research to help reduce the risk of bone stress injury in ultramarathoners.
 
This study is under the direction of Emily Kraus M.D., Michael Fredericson M.D., Megan Roche M.D., and Emily Miller M.D. Please contact Emily Kraus (WSERbonehealth@gmail.com) if you are interested in participating in the study.

John Diana
Research Director