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Pre-diabetesNCT03715010

Investigation of an Amino Acid Supplement on Glucose Levels in Obese Subjects

A study testing BCAA in people with Pre-diabetes and Obese, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study aims to determine whether the use of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) regulate insulin and glucagon secretion, and whether the supplement has any effect on body weight and body composition. Subjects who participate in this study will receive an 8-week supply of supplement. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 20 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Pre-diabetes, Obese, Glucose Intolerance
What is being tested?
BCAA
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
14 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
18 Mar 2016to 19 Jan 2018
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 20 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 20-65 years of age at screen
  • BMI between 27 to 40
  • Fasting glucose level >100, but <126 mg/dL or HgbA1c >5.7% but < 6.4%
  • Waist circumference > 40 in for men and >35 in for women
  • Subjects must read and sign the Institutional Review Board-approved written informed consent prior to the initiation of any study specific procedures or enrollment. A subject will be excluded for any condition that might compromise the ability to give truly informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • Any subject with a history of diabetes mellitus on medications, or other serious medical condition, such as chronic hepatic or renal disease, bleeding disorder, congestive heart disease, cancer (except skin basal cell carcinoma ) chronic diarrhea disorders, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, angioplasty within 6 months prior to screening, current diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension (defined as systolic BP>160mmHg, diastolic BP>95mmHg), active or chronic gastrointestinal disorders, bulimia, anorexia, or endocrine diseases (except thyroid disease requiring medication) as indicated by medical history or routine physical examination.
  • Any subject with a screening laboratory value outside of the laboratory normal range that is considered clinically significant for study participation by the investigator.
  • Any subject who currently uses tobacco products.
  • Any history of gastrointestinal disease except for appendectomy.
  • Any antibiotic or laxative use during the 2 months before the study.
  • Any subject who is unable or unwilling to comply with the study protocol.
  • Any subject allergic to soy products.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • UCLA Center for Human Nutriiton

    Los Angeles, California, 90095

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Effects of Branch Chain Amino Acids on Glucose Tolerance in Obese Pre-diabetic Subjects

This study aims to determine whether the use of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) regulate insulin and glucagon secretion, and whether the supplement has any effect on body weight and body composition. Subjects who participate in this study will receive an 8-week supply of supplement. The study supplements will be manufactured by Scientific Living, in Irvine, CA for high dose BCAA and the low dose BCAA is manufactured by Nutribiotic, Lakeport, CA. Timed blood collections will be used to measure how BCAA affect glucose metabolism/insulin sensitivity in human subjects.

Read the detailed description
  1. BCAA's multiple functions in cells In addition to participating in de novo protein synthesis, Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine) regulate multiple cellular functions as nutrient signaling. For example, BCAAs regulate insulin and glucagon secretion and thus glucose metabolism1. BCAAs, especially leucine, is one key regulator of mTOR signaling, which is the central component of a complex signaling network of insulin signaling, cell growth, and proliferation. BCAAs also regulate protein synthesis and degradation in various tissues.
  2. Impact of BCAA supplemental or BCAA-enriched diet on metabolism In addition to the healthcare utilization of BCAAs for liver disorders and their complications and other diseases, BCAA supplementation is common amongst athletes and fitness professionals to improve muscle building and strength. Meanwhile, BCAA supplementation or BCAA-rich protein diets are often associated with positive effects on body weight and glucose homeostasis1. Increasing dietary uptake of BCAAs improved the parameters associated with obesity and T2DM, such as body composition and glycemia levels. However, these beneficial effects are not conclusive. Moreover, other studies have shown that circulating branched-chain amino acid concentrations are associated with obesity and future insulin resistance in children and adolescents2.
  3. Summary Both beneficial and detrimental effects of BCAA on metabolism have been established and therefore warrants further investigation. In the preliminary study, we found that BCAAs enhanced glucose metabolism in lean mice while they promoted glucose intolerance in obese mice. In lean mice, BCAAs decreased adiposity and enhanced glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity in different tissues. But in obese mice, BCAAs' effects were mediated by impaired insulin signaling in fat tissue.
Being tested
BCAA
Medical subject headings
Glucose Intolerance, Obesity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • BCAADietary supplement

    Also called Branch Chain Amino Acid

    Subjects will be randomly assigned to take either the 25g supplement (containing 4g BCAA) daily for 4 weeks followed by the 20g BCAA supplement daily for 4 weeks, or vice versa

Study groups in NCT03715010
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Brain Chain Amino Acid (BCAA)Active comparatorSubjects will be randomly assigned to take either the 25g supplement (containing 4g BCAA) daily for 4 weeks followed by the 20g BCAA supplement daily for 4 weeks, or vice versa, cross-over design
Receives: Dietary Supplement: BCAA
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorSubjects will be randomly assigned to take either the 25g supplement (containing 4g BCAA) daily for 4 weeks followed by the 20g BCAA supplement daily for 4 weeks, or vice versa, cross-over design
Receives: Dietary Supplement: BCAA

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Measure of glucose AUC during 2H OGTT (Frame: 10 weeks)

    To assess change of glucose AUC during 2H OGTT test

    Measured: Baseline week4, week6 and 10 weeks

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Measure of body composition (Time Frame: 10 weeks)

    To assess changes in body composition (fat mass, lean body mass in Kg)

    Measured: Baseline week4, week6 and 10 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Oct 2018
  2. Study start18 Mar 2016
  3. Primary completion19 Jan 2018
  4. Study completion19 Jan 2018

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
BCAA
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator
Enrolment
14 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03715010
Sponsor's protocol ID
15-001928
Status last verified
Sep 2019
First submitted
9 Oct 2018
Last updated
20 Sep 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Woo SL, Yang J, Hsu M, Yang A, Zhang L, Lee RP, Gilbuena I, Thames G, Huang J, Rasmussen A, Carpenter CL, Henning SM, Heber D, Wang Y, Li Z. Effects of branched-chain amino acids on glucose metabolism in obese, prediabetic men and women: a randomized, crossover study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019 Jun 1;109(6):1569-1577. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz024.

    PubMed 31005973

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing BCAA in people with Pre-diabetes and Obese, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Sep 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Measure of glucose AUC during 2H OGTT (Frame: 10 weeks) (time frame: Baseline week4, week6 and 10 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03715010, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Sep 2019.

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Clinical Trial NCT03715010 | AzTrials