GlucoseGLOWSNCT07599683
Effect of Low Dose Galactose on Glycaemia and Glucose Kinetics
A study testing galactose, fructose and Glucose Powder in people with Glucose, run by University of Bath at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This project will establish the degree to which adding low-dose galactose to a meal can control blood sugar levels. People will consume standardised glucose drinks (75g glucose, as an oral glucose tolerance test). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Glucose
- What is being tested?
- galactose, fructose and Glucose Powder
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 25 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2026to 31 Dec 2029
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age: 18 years and above;
- Normoglycaemic (fasting glucose <6.1 mmol/L)
- Body mass index: 18.5-30 kg/m2
Who cannot join
- weight instability (>5% change within last 3 months);
- pregnant or lactating;
- following a very low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet;
- diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes, or any other metabolic disease;
- dietary intolerances or allergies, or to any other study procedures;
- disorders in the ability to metabolise galactose or fructose (e.g., galactosemias);
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- diagnosis of any gastrointestinal disorders;
- any other condition/medications that could introduce bias;
- unable to understand and follow study procedures
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Bath
Bath
Lucy Merrell, +441225385518, Lhm31@bath.ac.uk
About this study
This project will establish the degree to which adding low-dose galactose to a meal can control blood sugar levels. People will consume standardised glucose drinks (75g glucose, as an oral glucose tolerance test). People will consume these with and without the addition of galactose, and with the addition of another sugar (fructose) for an extra comparison. The investigators will use state-of-the-art labelling methods (dual stable isotope technology) to follow what happens to the glucose that is ingested and understand what happens to sugar being released by the liver and sugar being taken up by other tissues like the muscles. These methods can tell the investigators how the addition of galactose can control blood sugar levels. For example, the galactose could slow down the appearance of glucose from the gut and/or liver released into the blood, or it could increase the disappearance of glucose from the blood into muscles. The investigators will measure the appearance of the label on exhaled breath, which will establish whether ingested sugar is stored, or burned as fuel. The investigators will also explore other potential ways in which galactose might control blood sugar levels by measuring key hormones and metabolites that contribute to blood sugar control (for example, insulin, fatty acids, and incretin hormones which potentiate insulin secretion). This additional evidence of how galactose can control blood sugar levels will provide the understanding required to best make use of this approach across a variety of settings.
- Conditions
- Glucose
- Being tested
- galactose, fructose, Glucose Powder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
galactoseDietary supplement
7.5 g galactose
fructoseDietary supplement
7.5 g fructose
Glucose PowderDietary supplement
75 g glucose
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| CONTROL | Sham comparator | 75 g oral glucose tolerance test Receives: Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder |
| GALACTOSE | Experimental | 75 g oral glucose tolerance test plus 7.5 g galactose Receives: Dietary Supplement: galactose; Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder |
| FRUCTOSE | Active comparator | 75 g oral glucose tolerance test plus 7.5 g fructose Receives: Dietary Supplement: fructose; Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Glucose incremental area under the curve
Difference in glucose concentration incremental area under the curve between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Measured: 180 minutes
Plasma glucose kinetics
Difference in plasma glucose kinetics (rate of total glucose appearance, rate of endogenous glucose appearance, rate of exogenous glucose appearance, rate of glucose disappearance and glucose metabolic clearance rate) between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Measured: 180 minutes
Oxidative and non-oxidative fate of ingested glucose
Difference in oxidative and non-oxidative fate of ingested glucose between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Measured: 180 minutes
Secondary outcomes (2)
Glucoregulatory and metabolite concentrations
Difference in glucoregulatory hormone and metabolite incremental area under the curve between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period, with the following metabolites and hormones:
Insulin, C-peptide Glucagon, Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), Glycerol, Uric acid, Triacylglycerol. Oxygen saturation, pH, Bicarbonate.
Measured: 180 minutes
Whole-body carbohydrate and fat oxidation
Difference in whole-body carbohydrate and fat oxidation rates between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Measured: 180 minutes
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 May 2026
- Study start1 Jan 2026
- Primary completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for GlucoseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Bath
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Birmingham, Arla Foods
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Javier Gonzalez, University of Bath
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07599683
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 5530-15133
- Other IDs
- UKRI/BB/C001910/1
- Acronym
- GLOWS
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 14 May 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: IPD will be shared via the University of Bath data repository in deidentified form at the point of publication of the primary outcome in a peer-reviewed journal.
Publications
Watkins J, Simpson A, Betts JA, Thompson D, Holliday A, Deighton K, Gonzalez JT. Galactose Ingested with a High-Fat Beverage Increases Postprandial Lipemia Compared with Glucose but Not Fructose Ingestion in Healthy Men. J Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;150(7):1765-1772. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa105.
PubMed 32297937
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Low Dose Galactose on Glycaemia and Glucose Kinetics
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07599683
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- GLOWS / 5530-15133
- Conditions
- Glucose
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of BathUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Birmingham, Arla Foods
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This project will establish the degree to which adding low-dose galactose to a meal can control blood sugar levels. People will consume standardised glucose drinks (75g glucose, as an oral glucose tolerance test). People will consume these with and without the addition of galactose, and with the addition of another sugar (fructose) for an extra comparison. The investigators will use state-of-the-art labelling methods (dual stable isotope technology) to follow what happens to the glucose that is ingested and understand what happens to sugar being released by the liver and sugar being taken up by other tissues like the muscles. These methods can tell the investigators how the addition of galactose can control blood sugar levels. For example, the galactose could slow down the appearance of glucose from the gut and/or liver released into the blood, or it could increase the disappearance of glucose from the blood into muscles. The investigators will measure the appearance of the label on exhaled breath, which will establish whether ingested sugar is stored, or burned as fuel. The investigators will also explore other potential ways in which galactose might control blood sugar levels by measuring key hormones and metabolites that contribute to blood sugar control (for example, insulin, fatty acids, and incretin hormones which potentiate insulin secretion). This additional evidence of how galactose can control blood sugar levels will provide the understanding required to best make use of this approach across a variety of settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| CONTROL | Sham comparator | Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder75 g oral glucose tolerance test |
| GALACTOSE | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: galactose, Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder75 g oral glucose tolerance test plus 7.5 g galactose |
| FRUCTOSE | Active comparator | Dietary Supplement: fructose, Dietary Supplement: Glucose Powder75 g oral glucose tolerance test plus 7.5 g fructose |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age: 18 years and above;
- Normoglycaemic (fasting glucose <6.1 mmol/L)
- Body mass index: 18.5-30 kg/m2
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- weight instability (>5% change within last 3 months);
- pregnant or lactating;
- following a very low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet;
- diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes, or any other metabolic disease;
- dietary intolerances or allergies, or to any other study procedures;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| galactose7.5 g galactose | Dietary supplement | GALACTOSE |
| fructose7.5 g fructose | Dietary supplement | FRUCTOSE |
| Glucose Powder75 g glucose | Dietary supplement | CONTROL, FRUCTOSE, GALACTOSE |
Primary outcome
Glucose incremental area under the curve
Time frame: 180 minutes
Difference in glucose concentration incremental area under the curve between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Plasma glucose kinetics
Time frame: 180 minutes
Difference in plasma glucose kinetics (rate of total glucose appearance, rate of endogenous glucose appearance, rate of exogenous glucose appearance, rate of glucose disappearance and glucose metabolic clearance rate) between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
Oxidative and non-oxidative fate of ingested glucose
Time frame: 180 minutes
Difference in oxidative and non-oxidative fate of ingested glucose between treatments over a 180-minute postprandial period.
2 secondary outcomes
Glucoregulatory and metabolite concentrations
Time frame: 180 minutes
Whole-body carbohydrate and fat oxidation
Time frame: 180 minutes
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2026.
- Background: PubMed 32297937Watkins J, Simpson A, Betts JA, Thompson D, Holliday A, Deighton K, Gonzalez JT. Galactose Ingested with a High-Fat Beverage Increases Postprandial Lipemia Compared with Glucose but Not Fructose Ingestion in Healthy Men. J Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;150(7):1765-1772. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa105.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. IPD will be shared via the University of Bath data repository in deidentified form at the point of publication of the primary outcome in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing galactose, fructose and Glucose Powder in people with Glucose, run by University of Bath at 1 site in United Kingdom.
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 3 inclusion and 9 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2026. 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 Kingdom. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Lucy Merrell, PhD (+441225385518, lhm31@bath.ac.uk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Glucose incremental area under the curve (time frame: 180 minutes). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT07599683, 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 8 Jul 2026.