Could fasting one day a week reshape your metabolism?
NCT ID NCT05722873
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study from the University of Pittsburgh is testing whether fasting one day per week for 12 weeks changes how the body processes fats and maintains bone health. Researchers are enrolling 90 normal-weight or overweight adults aged 21-45 who have a family history of type 2 diabetes. The goal is to see if fasting's benefits go beyond just weight loss.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Fasting (one day per week for 12 weeks)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help clarify whether intermittent fasting offers metabolic benefits beyond weight loss, potentially guiding future dietary recommendations for diabetes prevention.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage observational study with only 90 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Fasting could also negatively affect bone health, which the study is monitoring.
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
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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
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2023
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
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 45 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: 1. Men and women, ages 21-45 years 2. BMI of at least 21 kg/m2 and up to and including BMI of 29 kg/m2 3. Normal thyroid function 4. Regular menses (women) 5. At least one first-degree relative with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and/or history of gestational diabetes Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any chronic diseases including hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus 2. Indication for lipid-lowering therapy in non-diabetics, using the more stringent AHA guideline cutoff (LDL\>190 or an estimated 10-year ASCVD risk of \>7.5%) 3. Chronic medications, including oral contraceptive pills 4. Pregnant and/or breastfeeding 5. History of an eating disorder 6. 25-OH vitamin D level \< 20 ng/mL 7. Active substance abuse, including alcohol 8. Subjects with a prior history of intermittent fasting 9. The study physician feels that the subject may not be able to safely complete the protocol or may place themselves at risk by undergoing the protocol
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Pittsburgh
RECRUITINGPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States