Could changing when you eat protein help parkinson symptoms?
NCT ID NCT05437640
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study explores whether the timing and amount of protein in meals can help preserve muscle health and improve sleep in people with Parkinson disease. Participants follow either a protein redistribution diet (low protein during the day, high protein at dinner) or a protein consistent diet (equal protein at each meal). Researchers measure muscle metabolism, grip strength, sleep quality, and motor symptoms to see if one pattern works better alongside standard levodopa treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Protein Redistribution Diet or Protein Consistent Diet
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a simple dietary strategy to help people with Parkinson disease maintain muscle strength and improve sleep without changing medication.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 12 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Dietary changes can be hard to follow long-term, and the study does not test a drug or cure.
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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12 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2022
- Finished
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Nov 2024
- 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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45 to 99 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD for 5 or more years * 45 years or older * On a stable levodopa regimen for 3 or more months * Self-reported to experience motor fluctuations Exclusion Criteria: * Following a specific diet that would preclude participation * Renal disease * Deep brain stimulation * Known narcolepsy * Untreated sleep apnea * Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, will preclude the participant from successfully or safely completing study procedures
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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
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University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, 35233, United States
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