Time‑restricted eating to improve blood sugar and heart health in adults with metabolic syndrome
Official title: Impact of Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF) on Glucose Homeostasis and Mitochondrial Function in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11314554 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether limiting daily eating to a 10-hour window (about a 14-hour overnight fast) helps adults with metabolic syndrome improve blood sugar control, weight, and heart‑health markers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2018 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $845,622 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK118278-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11314554 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 18–70 with a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome who are receiving standard medical and lifestyle care and willing to try a 10‑hour daily eating window.
✕Less likely to help
People for whom prolonged daily fasting is unsafe (for example certain types of diabetes requiring frequent glucose management, pregnancy, or other medical issues) or who cannot follow the schedule or use the smartphone app may not benefit or may be ineligible.
What this research studies
You will be randomly assigned to follow time‑restricted eating (a 10‑hour daily eating window with about a 14‑hour overnight fast) or continue standard care. The study team will collect blood samples, body composition measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol, and tests related to glucose regulation and mitochondrial function at regular clinic visits. Adherence will be supported and monitored with an Android app and routine contacts, and participants remain in the trial long-term to see if benefits last. The trial enrolls adults aged 18–70 who have metabolic syndrome and are receiving usual medications and lifestyle care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a low‑cost, easy‑to‑follow eating pattern to help improve blood sugar, reduce weight, and lower cardiovascular risk in people with metabolic syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Shorter and smaller trials of time‑restricted eating have shown weight loss and improved glucose measures, but long‑term randomized data in metabolic syndrome patients are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taub, Pam Rajendran — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Taub, Pam Rajendran
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Integrated biomarker study of metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based ART
Researchers will look for biological signs in pregnant women with HIV on a DTG-based regimen to understand why weight gain and metabolic problems happen and how these affect pregnancy.
-
Biomarker profiling to understand metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based ART
This project looks at why some pregnant women living with HIV on a common DTG-based therapy gain weight or develop metabolic problems, by studying their proteins and metabolites across four sites in the US and Nigeria.
-
Biomarker profiling to understand metabolic syndrome in pregnant women with HIV on DTG-based therapy
This project looks at markers in pregnant women living with HIV who are on a DTG-containing regimen to understand why some develop metabolic problems during pregnancy.
-
Metabolic syndrome and brain support cells: how it may lead to Alzheimer’s disease
A researcher is studying how midlife metabolic problems like diabetes and obesity may disrupt brain cells that support neurons, potentially leading to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in later life.
-
GLP-1 medicines to improve heart, kidney, and metabolic health for people with HIV and type 2 diabetes
A real-world study will look at how GLP-1 receptor agonists affect heart and kidney health and lifetime costs for people living with HIV and type 2 diabetes.
-
A new metabolic risk score to predict heart disease in Yup’ik Alaska Native adults
A new, questions-free way to measure heart-disease risk in Yup’ik Alaska Native adults by combining everyday health clues with home-life factors.
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.