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Scientists hunt for hidden fat molecules that sabotage insulin

NCT ID NCT03077360

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 17, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026

Summary

This study investigates how specific fat molecules called diacylglycerols and sphingolipids inside muscle cells influence insulin resistance. Researchers will measure these lipids in different parts of muscle cells before and after weight loss or exercise in people with obesity, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes. The goal is to pinpoint which fat types and locations drive insulin resistance, potentially guiding future treatments.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
lifestyle changes including diet-induced weight loss or exercise training
What this could lead to
If successful, this research could identify specific fat molecules to target for new type 2 diabetes treatments.
What could go wrong
This is an observational and exploratory study, not a treatment trial. The findings may not lead directly to new therapies.

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

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

62 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2017

Finished

Nov 2020

Lead sponsor

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

30 to 50 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: * BMI: 30-40 kg/m2 * Planned physical activity: \<2 hrs/week * Glucose tolerance: 1. Normal glucose tolerance (NGT) defined as: 1. HbA1c of \<5.7%, 2. pre-diabetes as HbA1c of 5.7-6.4%, and 3. type 2 diabetes as HbA1c of ≥6.5% 2. pre-diabetes, and 3. Type 2 diabetes * Oral contraceptive use: Yes or No as long as there is no change during the study * Thyroid status: TSH between 0.5-5.0 mU/L Exclusion Criteria: * Currently taking 1. Thiazolidinediones 2. Insulin * Pregnant * Smoker (tobacco and any form of marijuana use) * Fasting triglycerides \>400mg/dl

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

glucose intolerance Obesity obesity disorder prediabetes syndrome type 2 diabetes mellitus

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Diabetes mellitus, type 2 Obesity Pre diabetes

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Colorado

    Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

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