Can heavy water reveal how the liver makes fat?
NCT ID NCT07742423
First seen Aug 03, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a new analytical method for measuring how the liver produces fat (de novo lipogenesis) using heavy water, a safe, non-radioactive tracer. Ten healthy adults aged 18-60 with a normal BMI will drink heavy water for 10 days, and researchers will track its incorporation into fat molecules in the blood. The goal is to validate this protocol for future research into metabolic health and conditions like fatty liver disease.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Deuterium oxide (heavy water), a non-radioactive stable isotope tracer taken orally for 10 days
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a reliable, minimally invasive way to measure liver fat production, aiding research into metabolic conditions like fatty liver disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage validation study in healthy people, so results may not apply to patients. Heavy water is generally safe but may cause mild dizziness or nausea at high doses.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
KU Leuven/ UZ Leuven
Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, 3000, Belgium
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