Sleeping in a mountain-air tent could boost weight loss, study suggests
NCT ID NCT05289310
First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether sleeping in a low-oxygen environment (similar to an altitude of about 8,500 feet) for 8 hours each night can enhance weight loss in adults with obesity who are also following a reduced-calorie diet. Over 8 weeks, participants use a special tent at home, and researchers measure changes in body weight, body composition, and metabolism. The goal is to see if this simple, non-drug intervention can make dieting more effective.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- overnight normobaric hypoxia (low oxygen exposure) using an in-home tent system
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, non-drug approach to boost weight loss by mimicking high-altitude conditions during sleep.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The low-oxygen exposure may cause discomfort or side effects like headache or fatigue.
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
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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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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2023
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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22 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- 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: * Obese (BMI between 30-39.9 kg/m2) * Born at altitudes below 2,100 meters (\~7,000 feet) * Currently residing in Tallahassee, Florida or surrounding area * Completed a full FDA authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccination series at least 14 days before any in-person human research activity. * Not taking any medication(s) that interfere with oxygen delivery/transport for 4 weeks prior to and throughout the entire study (e.g., includes sedatives, sleeping aids, tranquilizers and/or any medication that depresses ventilation, diuretics, alpha and beta blockers). * Willing to refrain from smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, and dietary supplement use throughout the entire study. * Willing to have a hypoxic tent set-up in their home and spend 8 consecutive hours per night in the tent for 8 weeks * Lives with a family member, partner/spouse, or roommate who can hear and respond in the unlikely event that the blood oxygen, air oxygen, or air carbon dioxide monitoring alarm would sound. Exclusion Criteria: * Living in areas that are more than 1,200 m (\~4,000 feet), or have traveled to areas that are more than 1,200 m for five days or more within the last 2 months * Individuals who have not completed a full FDA authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccination series at least 14 days before any in-person human research activity. * Cardiovascular abnormalities, gastrointestinal disorders, or any condition that interferes with oxygen delivery/transport (e.g., kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, etc.) * Oxygen saturation \< 95% while awake or oxygen saturation dips below 88% for a total of ≥ 10 min overnight in normoxic conditions * Evidence of apnea or other sleeping disorders * Evidence of prior high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) diagnosis * Diagnosis or family history of sickle cell anemia/trait * Hematocrit \<42% for males, \<36% for females * Hemoglobin \<13 g/dL for males, \<12 g/dL for females * Blood donation within 8 weeks of beginning the study * Present condition of alcoholism, anabolic steroids, or other substance abuse issues * Women who are pregnant, lactating, planning to become pregnant, or who have had an irregular menstrual cycle in the past 6 mo. * Weight gain or loss \> 10% of body weight during the past 6 months * Adults unable to consent
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Pennington Biomedical Research Center
RECRUITINGBaton Rouge, Louisiana, 70808, United States
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