Amino acid may shield aging muscles during dieting
NCT ID NCT07781410
First seen Aug 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 25, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether leucine, an amino acid, can help older men preserve muscle mass while losing weight through alternate-day fasting. Overweight or obese men of Asian descent will receive either leucine, protein, or a placebo supplement for four weeks. The study measures changes in body composition, including muscle and fat mass, to see if leucine offers a muscle-sparing advantage during weight loss.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Leucine supplementation
- What this could lead to
- If leucine helps preserve muscle during weight loss, it could offer a simple supplement strategy for older adults to lose fat without losing strength, reducing sarcopenia risk.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, short-term study (4 weeks, 80 men) and results may not apply to women or other populations. Leucine's benefit over protein or placebo is uncertain, and supplements may cause digestive discomfort.
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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
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80 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2022
- Finished
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Jun 2023
- 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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60 years and older
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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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 (all of the criteria): * Of Asian descent * Do not smoke or use tobacco products (including shisha) * Have a body mass index (BMI = body mass in kilograms divided by the square of height in metres) ≥ 23 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria (any of the criteria): * Unable to adhere to the requirements regarding physical activity and diet as stated in the research methodologies. All supplements; including but not limited to vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins; which are not provided by this research, and traditional Chinese medicine are not allowed. * Vegetarians or vegans due to potential differences in responses and that the supplements provided may contain dairy products. * Allergic or intolerant to milk. The supplement that you will be required to consume may contain milk proteins, and lactose (milk sugar). * Failed an exercise stress test. * Have any health condition(s) that would be made worse by fasting. * History of familial leucine-sensitive hypoglycaemia, i.e., highly symptomatic hypoglycaemia triggered by protein meals or the amino acid, leucine. * Have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or abnormally high fasting blood glucose (\> 6.0 mmol/L). * Have uncontrolled hypertension (≥ 150/90 mmHg for ≥ 80 years old, ≥ 140/90 mmHg for \< 80 years old). * Have liver or kidney conditions. * Have existing musculoskeletal conditions that could be exacerbated by the physical assessments in this study. * More than twice per week of regular and structured resistance training (lifting weights). * Competed in resistance exercise-related competitions in the past 6 months. * Taking long-term prescribed medications (including traditional Chinese medicine and other alternative medicine), drugs, steroids, or hormones that can affect any of the measurements in this study. * Have electrical implant (such as pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator or neurostimulator), metal or plastic implant/rod/plate, or joint replacement in the body as these objects can affect the accuracy of the body composition measurement.
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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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Nanyang Technological University
Singapore, Singapore
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