Protein Supplementation Intervention on Body Weight

Launched by CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES · May 15, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how different dietary approaches can help with weight loss in people who are overweight or obese. Specifically, the study will look at three groups: one group will follow a calorie-restricted balanced diet, another group will follow the same diet but also take a medication called semaglutide, and the last group will have the diet and semaglutide along with added protein supplements. The study aims to see how these different methods affect weight loss, energy levels, and other health markers over three months, with a follow-up period of six months.

To participate in this trial, you should be between 20 and 50 years old and either classified as overweight or obese (with a Body Mass Index, or BMI, of 24 or higher) or have a normal weight but meet specific health conditions. It's important to note that certain health issues, like diabetes or severe heart problems, may disqualify you from participating. If eligible, you can expect to follow a specific diet plan and possibly take medication or supplements while being closely monitored by the research team. The findings from this study could help create more personalized weight loss strategies in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged 20 to 50 years.
• • Normal-weight participants: 18.5 kg/m² ≤ Body Mass Index (BMI) \< 24 kg/m².
• * Overweight or obese participants:
• • BMI ≥ 28 kg/m², or 24 kg/m² ≤ BMI \< 28 kg/m² and a clinical diagnosis meeting semaglutide treatment indications (e.g., hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty liver, obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, etc.).
• • Willingness to participate in this study and provide signed informed consent.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * Abnormal metabolic indicators (meeting any one of the following criteria is grounds for exclusion):
• 1. Normal weight (18.5 kg/m² ≤ BMI \< 24 kg/m²):
• • 1. Waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men or ≥ 85 cm for women.
• • 2. Fasting glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L or 2-hour postprandial glucose ≥ 7.8 mmol/L, or a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes.
• • 3. Systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg, or currently under antihypertensive treatment.
• • 4. Fasting triglycerides (TG) ≥ 1.7 mmol/L; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) \< 0.9 mmol/L in men or \< 1.0 mmol/L in women.
• 2. Overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m²):
• • 1. Fasting plasma glucose \> 11.1 mmol/L or HbA1c \> 9%, or previously diagnosed diabetes, or currently using insulin or any antidiabetic medication.
• • 2. Blood pressure ≥ 160/100 mmHg, or clinically diagnosed stage 2 or stage 3 (moderate or severe) hypertension, or currently under antihypertensive treatment.
• • 3. Use of lipid-lowering drugs (e.g., fibrates, bile acid sequestrants, statins, PCSK9 inhibitors) within the past 3 months, or TG ≥ 5.7 mmol/L, or LDL ≥ 4.9 mmol/L.
• • Pregnancy or lactation.
• • Self-reported weight change of more than 5 kg within the 90 days prior to screening.
• • Use of antibiotics, antimicrobials, or anti-inflammatory/analgesic salicylates (e.g., aspirin) within the 3 months prior to screening for 3 days or more.
• • Use of estrogen therapy or other hormonal medications within the past 6 months.
• • Use of GLP-1 receptor agonists or probiotics within the past 3 months.
• • Heavy alcohol consumption (females \> 40 g/day, approximately 250 mL of huangjiu \[yellow rice wine\], or 1000 mL of beer, or 100 mL of liquor per day; males \> 80 g/day).
• • Severe liver or kidney dysfunction (ALT, AST, or serum creatinine exceeding 3 times the upper limit of normal, UACR ≥ 30 mg/g, or eGFR \< 60 mL/min).
• • Gastrointestinal diseases affecting digestion and absorption (e.g., severe diarrhea, severe constipation, severe inflammatory bowel disease, peptic ulcer, gallstones, cholecystitis).
• • Underwent surgery within the past year (excluding appendectomy or hernia repair).
• • Severe cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases (e.g., heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, acute myocarditis, severe arrhythmia, or receiving interventional therapy).
• • Presence of metallic implants such as a cardiac stent or pacemaker.
• • Cancer or having received radiation or chemotherapy within the past 5 years.
• • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia, or a personal history of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
• • Chronic or acute pancreatitis.
• • Positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), active tuberculosis, HIV, or other infectious diseases.
• • Currently participating in another clinical study or having done so within the past 3 months.
• • Claustrophobia.
• • Any psychiatric disorder such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, or epilepsy (including current use of antiepileptic medications), or use of antidepressant medications.
• • Inability to read, write, operate a smartphone, or perform daily activities independently.