Can fasting plus weights strengthen aging bones?
NCT ID NCT07824375
First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are testing whether combining time-restricted eating with supervised resistance exercise can improve bone health in adults with osteopenia. Participants are 50 to 75 years old with low bone density and higher body weight. One group eats within an 8-hour window and lifts weights three days a week for 12 weeks, while the other keeps their usual eating pattern and does the same exercise. The study measures changes in bone mineral density and bone mineral content.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- time-restricted eating combined with supervised resistance exercise
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a low-cost lifestyle approach to slowing bone loss in adults with osteopenia.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is small and short, so any bone changes may be too slight to detect or may not last. Time-restricted eating can also make it harder to eat enough protein and calories for bone and muscle.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 24 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Nov 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Apr 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
50 to 75 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women aged 50-75 years with body mass index (BMI) \>25kg/m2 * Osteopenia, defined as a T score between -1.0 and -2.5 at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, or total hip * Elevated adiposity, defined by waist circumference \>102 cm in men or \>88 cm in women * Stable health history over the past 2 months * Stable medication history over the past 2 months, as recommended by the primary provider * Willing and able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Participation in a formal weight loss program, intentional caloric restriction, fasting \>10 hours/day, or ≥10 pounds weight loss within the past 3 months * Current participation in structured exercise training, supervised rehabilitation, or \>150 minutes/week of moderate intensity physical activity * Medical conditions or use of medications affecting bone metabolism * Diagnosed diabetes or use of insulin or glucose lowering medications * Resting heart rate \>120 beats/minute or daytime blood pressure ≥180/100 mmHg * Unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or stroke within the past 3 months * Continuous supplemental oxygen use for chronic pulmonary disease or heart failure * Rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's disease, dialysis, active cancer treatment within the past year, or diagnosed cognitive impairment * Absolute contraindications to exercise training according to American College of Sports Medicine guidelines * Unable to fast for 16 hours * Any condition that in the opinion of the investigator would impair ability to participate in the trial
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Osteopenia are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Could exercise be the key to stronger bones in women?
- A tastier calcium chew might boost bone Health—But does it work?
- Light on bones: laser therapy may boost bone health in postmenopausal women
- Heavy weights vs. light weights: which builds better bones?
- Could a simple exercise program strengthen bones without drugs?
- New index could reveal hidden Muscle-Bone imbalances