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Abstract The premise of research in human physiology is to explore a multifaceted system whilst identifying one or a few outcomes of interest. Therefore, the control of potentially confounding variables requires careful thought regarding the extent of control and complexity of standardisation. One common factor to control prior to testing is diet, as food and fluid provision may deviate from participants’ habitual diets, yet a self‐report and replication method can be flawed by under‐reporting. Researchers may also need to consider standardisation of physical activity, whether it be through familiarisation trials, wash‐out periods, or guidance on levels of physical activity to be achieved before trials. In terms of pharmacological agents, the ethical implications of standardisation require researchers to carefully consider how medications, caffeine consumption and oral contraceptive prescriptions may affect the study. For research in females, it should be considered whether standardisation between‐ or within‐participants in regards to menstrual cycle phase is most relevant. The timing of measurements relative to various other daily events is relevant to all physiological research and so it can be important to standardise when measurements are made. This review summarises the areas of standardisation which we hope will be considered useful to anyone involved in human physiology research, including when and how one can apply standardisation to various contexts.

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Physical activity interventions improve almost all modifiable CVD risk factors, but the effect of physical activity on low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) is uncertain. This may be due to lack of research on the feeding status in which the physical activity is performed. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of fasted versus fed exercise on LDL‐C concentrations in males and females. One hundred healthy participants, equal males and females, aged between 25 and 60 years will be recruited and will undergo a home‐based 12‐week exercise intervention. After baseline testing, participants will be randomized to a fasted exercise (exercise after an 8‐h fast) or fed exercise (exercise 90–180 min after ingestion of 1 g kg−1 CHO) group and will perform 50 min of moderate intensity exercise (e.g., 95% heart rate of lactate threshold 1) three times a week either before or after a high carbohydrate (1 g kg−1) meal. Participants will visit the laboratory again at week 4 and week 12 and measurements will be taken for body composition, resting blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, lipid profiles and systemic inflammation, lactate threshold, and 14‐day blood glucose control.

The premise of research in human physiology is to explore a multifaceted system whilst identifying one or a few outcomes of interest. Therefore, the control of potentially confounding variables requires careful thought regarding the extent of control and complexity of standardisation. One common factor to control prior to testing is diet, as food and fluid provision may deviate from participants' habitual diets, yet a self‐report and replication method can be flawed by under‐reporting. Researchers may also need to consider standardisation of physical activity, whether it be through familiarisation trials, wash‐out periods, or guidance on levels of physical activity to be achieved before trials. In terms of pharmacological agents, the ethical implications of standardisation require researchers to carefully consider how medications, caffeine consumption and oral contraceptive prescriptions may affect the study. For research in females, it should be considered whether standardisation between‐ or within‐participants in regards to menstrual cycle phase is most relevant. The timing of measurements relative to various other daily events is relevant to all physiological research and so it can be important to standardise when measurements are made. This review summarises the areas of standardisation which we hope will be considered useful to anyone involved in human physiology research, including when and how one can apply standardisation to various contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]