Could a whey protein drink boost heart and brain health in menopause?
NCT ID NCT06953232
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether adding a special whey protein supplement to a high-fat meal can improve markers of heart and brain health in postmenopausal women who are overweight and at moderate risk for heart disease. Sixteen women will each try the supplement and a placebo on separate days, with blood tests, blood pressure checks, and computer-based thinking tasks over six hours. The goal is to see if the supplement helps the body handle fats better and supports mental function after eating.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- whey protein-enriched milk fat globule membrane supplement
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a dietary supplement that helps protect heart and brain function in postmenopausal women at risk for cardiovascular disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage trial with only 16 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The supplement is tested as a single meal, not long-term use.
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 16 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
50 to 75 years
- Sex
-
Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * Apparently healthy postmenopausal women (not menstruating for 12 or more months) * Aged 50 - 75 years * BMI: 25 - 40 kg/m² * Moderate CVD risk * Recreationally active (\> 3 x 30 min moderate exercise per week) * Understands and is willing and able to comply with all study procedures including eating a high-fat breakfast meal * Fluent in written and spoken English * Access to, and able to use, the internet/computer/tablet device Exclusion Criteria: * Smoking (including vaping) * Diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or suffered myocardial infarction /stroke in the past twelve months * Existing or significant past medical history of any medical condition likely to affect the study outcomes e.g., diabetes, digestive, cancer or thyroidal disease, neurological disease (Alzheimer's disease, other form of dementia, mild cognitive impairment), or serious mental illness know to affect cognition (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder), learning disorders (dyslexia) * Early or premature menopause resulting from medical conditions or undergoing surgery * Hormone replacement therapy within last 6 months * Prescribed medications likely to interfere with study outcomes (including lipid/cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins; blood thinners, antiplatelets (anticoagulants) such as heparin, etc.; medications for blood pressure; inflammation such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, etc.; immune function, or lipid/carbohydrate metabolism) or prescribed antibiotics within the last three months * Use of antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication if it has changed in the last three months or expected to change within the 3-month study period * Taking vitamin, mineral, or fatty acid supplements (e.g., fish oil, calcium) or unwilling stop consuming these for the duration of the study (including sufficient washout period) * Working night shifts * Inaccessible veins for blood collection via cannulation * Unstable weight history (≥3 kg loss or gain in the previous 3 months) or planning or currently on a weight reduction scheme * Known allergy or intolerance to study food (including lactose intolerance, dairy, and wheat) * Being vegan or any other unusual medical history or diet and lifestyle habits or practices that would preclude volunteers from participating in a dietary intervention or metabolic study * Excessive alcohol consumption: \>21 unit/wk (i.e., more than 10 and a half pints of beer or 21 small glasses of wine) * Currently taking part or have participated in another research study in the last two months (e.g., dietary intervention)
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Cardiometabolic risk factors are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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
-
Loughborough University
RECRUITINGLoughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Could monthly texts and automatic risk scores stop heart attacks before they start?
- Can a nurse and a neighbor help tame chronic disease?
- Two eggs a day put to the test for heart health
- A soft patch that watches your heart beat in real time
- 150,000 children to be tracked from birth to old age in massive health study
- Can beef power firefighter recovery?