Can thin air curb your appetite? chamber study tests Oxygen's role in eating
NCT ID NCT06912230
First seen Sep 11, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026
Summary
Researchers at the University of Ottawa are studying whether low oxygen levels, like those at high altitude, affect appetite and how much food young women eat. Twelve healthy female volunteers spend six hours in a climate-controlled chamber breathing either normal air or air that simulates an altitude of 5,000 meters. The team measures hunger and desire to eat during and after exposure, then tracks how much participants eat from a buffet. The goal is to see if low oxygen alone changes eating behavior.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Simulated high altitude (low oxygen) exposure in a chamber
- What this could lead to
- If low oxygen changes appetite, this could inform nutrition advice for people at high altitude and add to understanding of how oxygen levels affect eating.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early study of 12 healthy young women, so results may not apply to men, older adults, or people with health conditions. Chamber exposure is short and may not reflect real altitude.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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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
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12 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2024
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * English or French speaking * Ability to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * History or evidence of chronic disease * Current use of hypolipemic medication * Current use of hormonal contraceptives * Current use of antidepressants * Current use of anticoagulants * Ongoing smoking status * Experiencing pregnancy, puerperium, or irregular menstrual cycles
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Behavioural and Metabolic Research Unit, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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