Ear zaps to curb cravings? tiny study tests vagus nerve stimulation on appetite and blood sugar
NCT ID NCT07457372
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 5 times
Summary
This small study will test whether a non-invasive device that stimulates the vagus nerve through the ear can affect blood glucose levels, food cravings, and the urge to move in healthy young adults aged 18-35. Eight participants will receive both active and sham stimulation to see if there's a measurable difference. The goal is to understand basic body responses, not to treat any disease.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could help us understand how the vagus nerve influences appetite and blood sugar, possibly pointing toward new ways to manage cravings or metabolism.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility study with only 8 healthy participants, so results may not apply to the general public or people with medical conditions. The stimulation is non-invasive and low-risk, but the study hasn't started yet.
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.
- Expected to start
-
Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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May 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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18 to 35 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: * Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 as we are focused on recruiting undergraduate and graduate students. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be excluded if they have epilepsy, clinically significant tachycardia or arrhythmia, diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) or another metabolic disease, current pregnancy, any implanted electronic medical device (for example, pacemaker or defibrillator), or a known skin allergy to adhesives that would prevent CGM placement. Participants will also be excluded if they have a history of major depressive disorder if taVNS could reasonably be expected to alter mood symptoms
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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 Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota, 55812, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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