Time-restricted Eating to Improve Metabolic Abnormalities in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

NCT ID: NCT05126199

Last Updated: 2022-09-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-05-05

Study Completion Date

2023-01-31

Brief Summary

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Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is associated with metabolic symptoms such as hyperinsulinemia. Time-restricted eating may reduce serum insulin and improve insulin resistance in patients with PCOS. Currently, there are few studies investigating time-restricted eating in patients with PCOS. The investigators plan to test the feasibility of time-restricted eating in the management of PCOS by means of a real-world clinical intervention. The investigators will determine if an 18:6 eating protocol reduces insulin levels by means of a randomised controlled crossover trial.

Detailed Description

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Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age with many associated metabolic symptoms, in particular hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and a high lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The effects of time-restricted eating on metabolic profiles have been investigated in many endocrinopathies, but there are minimal data in PCOS.

Methods: This study will investigate the feasibility of time-restricted eating in the management of PCOS, and its effects on insulin levels and other metabolic parameters.

To achieve this, the investigators will recruit 20 patients with PCOS (normal weight, overweight, obese).

In a randomised cross-over design, participants will be observed for two consecutive 12 week periods (with a 4 weeks washout period in between) following either 'time-restricted eating' or 'usual eating', detailed below.

1. 18:6 protocol: 18 hours of fasting and a 6-hours eating window, with no other specific dietary advice. Participants choose their own 6-hour period according to their lifestyle and preference.
2. Usual eating: follow usual eating patterns, no time restriction, no other dietary advice

When fasting, participants are permitted to consume plain water, unflavoured/unsweetened sparkling water, black breakfast tea and black coffee.

Dietary intake will be determined at baseline, at midpoint of each study arm, and at the end of the study using Nutritics software. Participants will self-record dietary intake using the Nutritics 'app'.

The primary endpoints will be serum insulin and feasibility of the intervention as well as safety, acceptability, and compliance with time-restricted eating.

Secondary endpoints will be insulin resistance (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)), androgens (testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), androstenedione, 17-Hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)), appetite (10-point visual analogue scale), hunger/satiety (glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), grehlin, PYY and oxyntomodulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, lipoprotein lipid A, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, anthropometrics (weight, body mass index, hip and waist circumference), dietary intake (calorie and macronutrient intake; micronutrient intake including iron, calcium; dietary pattern including timing).

Results: Safety and acceptability will be measured by adverse event reporting and measurement of adherence. Paired t-test will be used to assess between baseline and post intervention measurements. Results considered statistically significant if p\<0.05.

Discussion: Time-restricted eating has potential to aid in improvement of insulin resistance in patients with PCOS based on studies in other populations. There is no substantial literature on this subject to date in the PCOS patient cohort, with this being the first randomised study to date. The investigators will discuss the effects of time-restricted eating on insulin levels in the specific population of women with PCOS based on the results.

Conditions

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PCOS Hyperinsulinemia Insulin Resistance

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Time restricted eating

Time-restricted eating using 18:6 protocol (12 weeks)

Washout Period (4 weeks)

Crossover to Normal ad libitum diet (12 weeks)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Time restricted eating

Intervention Type OTHER

Following a 3 day baseline dietary assessment using the Nutritics 'app', patients will immediately commence time-restricted eating on a 18:6 basis (18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating window) for 12 weeks.

Participants will consume all their meals within a daily 6-hour period of their choosing, and this may change according to patient's lifestyle and preference to reflect a real-world situation. Participants may eat ad libitum / according to appetite during the eating period. Participants will fast for 18 hours per day, consuming only plain water, unflavoured/unsweetened sparkling water, black breakfast tea or black coffee. Alcohol must not be consumed during fasting periods

Dietary intake will again be measured using the Nutritics 'app' midpoint through the 12-week period (week 6 +/- 1 week) and in the last week of the intervention (week 11/12).

Normal ad libitum diet

Normal ad libitum dietary patterns without defined eating window, fasting or restrictions on types of food or drink consumed (12 weeks)

Washout Period (4 weeks)

Crossover to time-restricted eating using 18:6 protocol (12 weeks)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Normal ad libitum diet

Intervention Type OTHER

Following a 3-day baseline dietary assessment using the Nutritics 'app', participants with be directed to continue with their usual dietary intake without any time-related restrictions for 12 weeks. There will be no defined eating window and fasting or restrictions regarding types of food or drink consumed.

Dietary intake will again be measured using the Nutritics 'app' midpoint through the 12-week period (week 6 +/- 1 week) and in the last week of the intervention (week 11/12).

Interventions

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Time restricted eating

Following a 3 day baseline dietary assessment using the Nutritics 'app', patients will immediately commence time-restricted eating on a 18:6 basis (18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating window) for 12 weeks.

Participants will consume all their meals within a daily 6-hour period of their choosing, and this may change according to patient's lifestyle and preference to reflect a real-world situation. Participants may eat ad libitum / according to appetite during the eating period. Participants will fast for 18 hours per day, consuming only plain water, unflavoured/unsweetened sparkling water, black breakfast tea or black coffee. Alcohol must not be consumed during fasting periods

Dietary intake will again be measured using the Nutritics 'app' midpoint through the 12-week period (week 6 +/- 1 week) and in the last week of the intervention (week 11/12).

Intervention Type OTHER

Normal ad libitum diet

Following a 3-day baseline dietary assessment using the Nutritics 'app', participants with be directed to continue with their usual dietary intake without any time-related restrictions for 12 weeks. There will be no defined eating window and fasting or restrictions regarding types of food or drink consumed.

Dietary intake will again be measured using the Nutritics 'app' midpoint through the 12-week period (week 6 +/- 1 week) and in the last week of the intervention (week 11/12).

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Adult women of reproductive age with confirmed diagnosis of PCOS (Rotterdam Criteria, including at least 2 of 3 characteristics: oligomenorrhea, clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism and ultrasound criteria)
* No BMI restriction
* Able and willing to provide explicit, informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Type 1 diabetes, medication-controlled type 2 diabetes
* Pregnancy
* Currently participating in weight loss programme, or reported weight change in last 3 months (\>5% of current body weight)
* Documented history of eating disorder
* Ovulation medication, such as clomiphene citrate
* Weight loss medication affecting weight or appetite in last 6 months, including weight loss medications, antipsychotic drugs or other medications as determine by the physician (eg. Semaglutide, liraglutide, orlistat, amphetamines, Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate), bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave))
* Known liver, renal or thyroid dysfunction (not including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with hypothyroidism on treatment or subclinical hypothyroidism seen in a large proportion of patients with PCOS)
* Unable to participate in follow-up for at least 24 weeks
* Unable or unwilling to provide explicit, informed consent
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

42 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Tallaght University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Ruairí Floyd

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ruairí Floyd

Study Co-ordinator and Researcher

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Lucy-Ann Behan, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Robert Graves Institute of Endocrinology, Tallaght University Hospital

Sinead Duggan, R.D. PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Dublin, Trinity College

Locations

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Robert Graves Institute of Endocrinology, Tallaght University Hospital

Dublin, Leinster, Ireland

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Ireland

Central Contacts

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Ruairí Floyd, BSc BMBS

Role: CONTACT

(01) 414 2000

Facility Contacts

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Ruairí Floyd, BSc BMBS

Role: primary

References

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Asemi Z, Samimi M, Taghizadeh M, Esmaillzadeh A. Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Glucose Homeostasis, Lipid Profiles, Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Kashan, Iran. Arch Iran Med. 2015 Dec;18(12):806-10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26621011 (View on PubMed)

Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, Dokras A, Laven J, Moran L, Piltonen T, Norman RJ; International PCOS Network. Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 2018 Aug;110(3):364-379. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.05.004. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30033227 (View on PubMed)

Anton SD, Moehl K, Donahoo WT, Marosi K, Lee SA, Mainous AG 3rd, Leeuwenburgh C, Mattson MP. Flipping the Metabolic Switch: Understanding and Applying the Health Benefits of Fasting. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018 Feb;26(2):254-268. doi: 10.1002/oby.22065. Epub 2017 Oct 31.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29086496 (View on PubMed)

Li C, Xing C, Zhang J, Zhao H, Shi W, He B. Eight-hour time-restricted feeding improves endocrine and metabolic profiles in women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome. J Transl Med. 2021 Apr 13;19(1):148. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-02817-2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33849562 (View on PubMed)

de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. N Engl J Med. 2019 Dec 26;381(26):2541-2551. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1905136. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31881139 (View on PubMed)

Albosta M, Bakke J. Intermittent fasting: is there a role in the treatment of diabetes? A review of the literature and guide for primary care physicians. Clin Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021 Feb 3;7(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s40842-020-00116-1.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33531076 (View on PubMed)

Zangeneh F, Salman Yazdi R, Naghizadeh MM, Abedinia N. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Stress Neurohormones in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Family Reprod Health. 2015 Jun;9(2):51-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26175759 (View on PubMed)

Pellegrini M, Cioffi I, Evangelista A, Ponzo V, Goitre I, Ciccone G, Ghigo E, Bo S. Effects of time-restricted feeding on body weight and metabolism. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2020 Mar;21(1):17-33. doi: 10.1007/s11154-019-09524-w.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31808043 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

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https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-diet.html

BDA The Association of UK Dieticians - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Food Fact Sheet

Other Identifiers

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TimeMAP

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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