Local heat therapy to improve blood sugar control and reduce frailty risk in older adults with prediabetes
Glycemic control and frailty risk in older people at risk for type 2 diabetes: Impact of local heat therapy
This project tests whether applying local heat to muscles can help older adults with prediabetes improve blood sugar control and reduce muscle weakness linked to frailty.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11140391 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join as an older adult with prediabetes or at risk for type 2 diabetes and receive regular localized heat treatments to targeted muscles. The team will monitor your blood sugar control, muscle size and quality, walking speed, and strength over time to see if heat improves factors that lead to frailty. They will look at muscle architecture measures such as cross-sectional area, capillarization, and mitochondrial markers to understand how heat affects muscle health. Visits will take place at the research site and may include blood tests and physical performance measurements.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults with prediabetes or at high risk for type 2 diabetes who have limited ability to do intense exercise are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without prediabetes, much younger individuals, or those whose frailty stems from non-muscle causes may be unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a non-exercise option to strengthen muscle, improve blood sugar control, and lower the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes and frailty.
How similar studies have performed: High-intensity exercise has demonstrated clear muscle and metabolic benefits in older adults, while local heat therapy is a newer and less-established alternative with limited prior evidence.
Where this research is happening
Lubbock, United States
- Texas Tech University — Lubbock, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luk, Hui Ying — Texas Tech University
- Study coordinator: Luk, Hui Ying
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.