Brain blood flow and lactate responses in people with and without obesity

Cerebral Lactate Uptake and Transport in Obese and Non-Obese Individuals

University of Missouri-Columbia · NCT06791837

This project will see if exercise changes brain blood flow and blood lactate in adults with and without obesity.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment24 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 45 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of Missouri-Columbia (other)
Locations1 site (Columbia, Missouri)
Trial IDNCT06791837 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Investigators will compare cerebral blood flow and blood lactate responses to an exercise stress test and a submaximal exercise bout in adults with and without obesity. The observational protocol enrolls healthy men and women aged 18–45 with BMI 18–40 and excludes people with diabetes, major cardiovascular, neurologic, hepatic or renal disease, smokers, and those on medications affecting lactate or autonomic function. Participants will complete in-person exercise sessions at the University of Missouri–Columbia with blood lactate sampling and cerebral blood flow monitoring. The aim is to clarify how obesity alters lactate metabolism and brain perfusion during and after exercise.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Healthy adults aged 18–45 with BMI 18–40 who are non-smokers, not pregnant or breastfeeding, and not taking medications that affect lactate or cardiovascular/autonomic function.

Not a fit: People with diabetes, major cardiovascular, neurological, hepatic, or renal disease, current smokers, or those on excluded medications are not eligible and are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, results could guide exercise-based approaches to improve brain blood flow and metabolic health in people with obesity.

How similar studies have performed: Prior small studies show exercise changes blood lactate and can alter cerebral blood flow, but comparing these responses between obese and non-obese adults in this way is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

healthy adult men and women 18-45 years of age BMI 18-40 kg/m2 not pregnant, premenopausal with regular menstrual cycles not breastfeeding non-nicotine users

Exclusion Criteria:

medications known to affect sleep, autonomic control, blood lactate levels or metabolic, or cardiovascular function (PI discretion) self-reported history of hepatic, renal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, or neurological disease, stroke or neurovascular disease, bleeding/clotting disorders, sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, diabetes, history of alcoholism or substance abuse major cardiovascular event or surgical procedure within the past three months hypertension (\>140/90 mmHg or at PIs discretion).

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Where this trial is running

Columbia, Missouri

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Diabetes, Obesity, lactate, obesity, exercise

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.