CompletedNot Applicable

TirolGESUND: Baseline-controlled Comparison of the Effects of Fasting Dietary Intervention or Smoking Cessation Combined With Exercise in Healthy Female Tyrolean Volunteers Aged 30-60 on Epigenetic and Multi-omic Biomarkers of Health, Ageing, and Disease

Austria156 participantsStarted 2021-04-21

Plain-language summary

The goal of this clinical study is to learn about disease-risk and age-associated changes in DNA methylation patterns associated with disease risk or age in healthy women aged 30-60 in response to health-promoting lifestyle intervention (intermittent fasting or smoking cessation). The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Are the scores of DNA methylation in epigenetic signatures associated with age, women's cancer risk, or risk exposure reduced after 6 months of lifestyle intervention compared to baseline? * What are the dynamics of DNA methylation changes during or following intervention, and do differences in changes between different sample types exist? * Which other biomarkers of health and disease, including metabolic changes, microbiome, clinical, mental, or inflammatory parameters, are altered following intervention? The investigators also aim to explore whether DNA methylation changes are associated with changes in other biomarkers mentioned above. Participants will be allocated to intermittent fasting or smoking cessation based on inclusion criteria. Intermittent fasting encompasses a 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule. Food intake is limited to an 8 h window per day with fasting for the remaining 16 h. Within the intermittent fasting study, participants are randomised to receive a ketogenic supplement (medium-chain triglyceride fibre) or not. Participants in the smoking cessation study will be guided to stop smoking. All participants will receive 1:1 personal coaching throughout the study, and will be provided with an optional exercise programme. All participants will also receive nutritional advice from a professional dietician throughout the study. Participants are invited to donate samples every 2 months for 6 months. Researchers will compare signatures at the start and after 6 months of intervention. Within the intermittent fasting group, researchers will compare effects in individuals that received the ketogenic supplement to those that did not.

Who can participate

Age range

30 Years – 60 Years

Sex

FEMALE

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Inclusion criteria

. Women aged 30 to 60
. Motivated to change their lifestyle

Exclusion criteria

. Relevant underlying conditions:
. Current or previous malignant tumour or cancer
. Current or previous significant cardiovascular disorder \[participants with elevated blood pressure are allowed to participate as long as it is well controlled under their current medication\]
. Current or previous metabolic disorder (e.g., diabetes type I or II) \[in the dietary intervention arm, participants with current hypothyroidism/Morbus Hashimoto will be excluded as the switch to intermittent fasting may require a adjustment of their medication\]

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change from baseline scores of DNA methylation biomarkers of age, disease risk, and exposure

Timeframe: Baseline, Month 6 (per participant)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05678426

SponsorUniversitaet Innsbruck

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2022-08-31

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