Olive compound could spark brown fat to fight obesity
NCT ID NCT06484543
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether maslinic acid, a natural compound found in olive skins, can improve metabolic health by activating brown fat—a type of fat that burns calories. Fifty adults with pre-metabolic syndrome or mild obesity will take maslinic acid or a placebo for 12 weeks. Researchers will measure changes in blood sugar, body fat, energy use, and other markers of metabolic health.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Maslinic acid (a natural compound found in olive skins and other plants)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, natural supplement to help manage obesity and related metabolic problems like insulin resistance.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 50 participants, all of Chinese ethnicity, so results may not apply to everyone. The compound is a nutraceutical, not a drug, so effects may be modest.
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
-
About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2024
- Expected to finish
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Aug 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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21 to 60 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: * Male or Female * Chinese ethnicity * Age between 21 to 60 years• Able to give informed consent * Body mass index (BMI) between 23 to 32 kg/m2 * Thyroid function test must be within the normal ranges * Willing to avail yourself for the whole study and follow study procedures * EITHER deemed to have pre-metabolic syndrome when waist circumference is \> 90 cm in men or \> 80 cm in women, with none or up to one of the following condition: 1. Triglyceride level \>/= 1.7 mmol/L 2. HDL cholesterol \</= 1.0 mmol/L in men, and \</= 1.3 mmol/L in women 3. Blood pressure \>/= 130/85 mmHg 4. Fasting blood glucose \>/= 6.1 mmol/L * OR deemed to have metabolic syndrome when three or more of the following conditions are present: 1. Waist circumference \> 90 cm in men and \> 80 cm in women 2. Triglyceride level \>/= 1.7 mmol/L 3. HDL cholesterol\</= 1.0 mmol/L in men, and \</= 1.3 mmol/L in women 4. Blood pressure \>/= 130/85 mmHg 5. Fasting blood glucose \>/= 6.1 mmol/L Exclusion Criteria: * Are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy (for female subjects) * Partake in sports at the competitive and/ or endurance levels * Have known glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency * Have major chronic disease such as heart disease or cancer * Take insulin or drugs known to affect glucose metabolism * Intentionally restrict food intake * Have major medical or surgical event requiring hospitalization within the preceding 3 months * Have taken antibiotics for 3 months before the study period * Are a smoker * Are an overnight shift worker * Have any known food allergy (eg. anaphylaxis to peanuts) or skin allergy (eg. rashes due to alcohol, etc) * Having active Tuberculosis (TB) or currently receiving treatment for TB * Have any known Chronic Infection or known to suffer from or have previously suffered from or is a carrier of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) * Are a member of the research team or their immediate family members. Immediate family member is defined as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, whether biological or legally adopted * Enrolled in a concurrent research study judged not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study * Have poor veins impeding venous access * Have any history of severe vasovagal syncope (blackouts or near faints) following blood draws * History of claustrophobia
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences
Singapore, Singapore
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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