Could a diabetes pill boost high-altitude exercise performance?
NCT ID NCT06164665
First seen Mar 23, 2026 · Last updated Jun 24, 2026 · Updated 12 times
Summary
This study looked at whether pioglitazone, a drug used for diabetes, can help the body use sugar from food during exercise at high altitude. Nine healthy men took either the drug or a placebo for five days, then exercised on a treadmill in a chamber simulating high altitude. Researchers measured how much sugar the body burned and how it affected inflammation and iron levels.
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Locations
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US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Natick, Massachusetts, 01760, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Pioglitazone (15 mg oral daily for 5 days)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward ways to improve energy use and performance during high-altitude activities.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early-phase study with only 9 healthy men. Results may not apply to women, less fit people, or real-world high-altitude conditions.
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.