Sniffing madeleines before a sugar drink: can a pleasant scent change your blood sugar response?

NCT ID NCT07638111

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study will test whether smelling a pleasant food odor (madeleine scent) before drinking a sugary solution changes how the body handles blood sugar. Twenty adults, some with obesity and mild insulin resistance and some without, will each undergo two sessions: one with the scent and one without. The goal is to see if the smell triggers an early insulin release and alters blood sugar levels, and whether this effect differs between the two groups.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

pleasant food odor (madeleine scent)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could reveal how food smells influence blood sugar control, potentially leading to new strategies for managing insulin resistance.

What could go wrong

This is a very small, early-stage study with only 20 participants. The effect of smell on blood sugar may be too subtle to detect or may not apply to real-world eating.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

abdominal obesity-metabolic syndrome Anosmia insulin-resistance syndrome type A metabolic syndrome X Obesity obesity disorder Overweight

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Rhône-Alpes, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud

    Pierre-Bénite, 69495, France

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••