Can a cooking oil protect the brain in Huntington's?

NCT ID NCT02453061

First seen Jun 16, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tested whether a special oil called triheptanoin can slow brain damage in people with early Huntington's disease. 100 participants took either the oil or a placebo for 6 months, followed by 6 months where everyone got the oil. The main goal was to see if it reduced brain shrinkage and improved energy use in the brain.

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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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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Department of Neurology

    Leiden, 2300RC, Netherlands

  • Département de Génétique

    Paris, 75013, France

What this could mean

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

Active substance

Triheptanoin oil

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a treatment that slows brain damage and delays symptoms in Huntington's disease.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase study (Phase 2) with only 100 people. The results may not show clear benefit, and the oil could cause side effects like stomach upset.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Huntington disease

As listed by the trial registrant

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