Sweet cravings in Parkinson's: could sugar be a clue?
NCT ID NCT05998772
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looks at why many people with Parkinson's disease eat more sugary foods. Researchers will give 50 participants a sugary drink or a placebo on different days, then measure blood sugar, insulin, and movement symptoms. The goal is to see if fast-acting sugars temporarily improve motor function or other symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- glucose (oral glucose tolerance test)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could explain why some Parkinson's patients crave sweets and whether sugar temporarily improves their symptoms.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (50 people) looking at short-term effects only. It won't prove any long-term benefit or treatment for Parkinson's.
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.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2023
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2025
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.
Who is studied
The study population includes Parkinson's Disease patients with and without sweet cravings. Recruitment of patients takes place in the outpatient clinic for movement disorders at the University of Kiel.
- Ages
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50 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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: * Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, stage Hoehn \& Yahr 1.5-3 * Ability to pause antiparkinsonian medication in the morning without relevant impairment * Capacity to give consent (determined in doubt by two independent neurologists, MOCA ≥18) and written informed consent. * Patients are between 50 and 80 years of age, with exceptions for a maximum of 5 additional patients enrolled per group * For stratification into patients with and without sweet craving, a 3-day dietary protocol should be completed once by the patients * Group I: increased hunger for sweets. * Group II: no increased hunger for sweets. For the stratification into patients with and without increased hunger for sweets, participants are asked to answer the following questions: 1. Do you have sudden attacks of cravings for sweets? 2. Would you say that your consumption of sweet food has increased in recent years? 3. Would you describe your consumption of sugary food as increased or excessive? If one of the questions is answered with yes, participants will be assigned to group I, if all questions are answered with no, participants will be assigned to group II. Exclusion Criteria: * Other significant neurological diseases primarily affecting the central nervous system (e.g., multiple sclerosis) * Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or prediabetes * Use of medications that affect glucose metabolism, such as antidiabetics, glucocorticoids, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, sirolimus, beta-blockers, thiazide diuretics, beta-2 adrenoreceptor agonists, theophylline, Clozapine, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants, mirtazapine, mianserin, carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, valproic acid, lithium, antiretroviral drugs, statins * cardiac or brain pacemakers
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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.
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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Department for Neurology, University of Kiel
RECRUITINGKiel, 24118, Germany
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