Effects of Lipids on Health in Night Shift Workers

Impact of Circulating and Tissue-specific Lipids on Vascular Function and Insulin Sensitivity in Chronic Night Shift Workers

This study is testing how certain fats in the body affect heart health and blood sugar in people who work night shifts, while also trying a new eating schedule to see if it helps.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 65 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Colorado State University (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Trial ID: NCT06550115 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates how circulating and tissue-specific lipids affect vascular function and insulin sensitivity in individuals who work night shifts. It aims to understand the mechanisms by which circadian misalignment contributes to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Participants will undergo a time-restricted eating intervention to assess its impact on lipid levels, blood pressure, and glucose homeostasis. The study targets a significant portion of the workforce that experiences chronic circadian misalignment due to night shifts.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18-65 who have worked night shifts for at least one year and experience chronic insufficient sleep.

Not a fit: Patients with existing sleep or eating disorders, or those following specific dietary plans that could affect lipid outcomes, may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to targeted interventions that improve cardiovascular health and metabolic function in night shift workers.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with time-restricted eating and its effects on metabolic health, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18-65 years old
* worked the night shift for the last 1 year or more,
* habitually sleep 5-9 hours per 24h period (night shift workers typically experience chronic insufficient sleep),
* body mass index (BMI) of 20.0 - 35.0 kg/m2 and weight stable (plus or minus 5% of current body weight in the last 6 months); sedentary to mild physical activity level (less than 2 days of planned exercise per week);

Exclusion Criteria:

* existing diagnosed sleep or eating disorder (e.g. obstructive sleep apnea \[OSA\], periodic limb movements of sleep \[PLMS\], narcolepsy, travel more than 1 time zone in 3 weeks before the study; anorexia nervosa, more than one food allergy to maintain flexibility in diet planning);
* following any TRE (time-restricted eating) or intermittent fasting plan in the last year;
* following any special diet plan, like paleo, keto, gluten-free or vegan, that can affect the primary lipid outcome measures in the last 6 months; any clinically significant surgical condition within the last year;
* diagnosed diabetes or cardiovascular disease

  * The prevalence of insomnia in shift workers is fairly high, ranging from 12.8% to 76.4%, which is higher than estimated for the general population. Insomnia itself is associated with elevated neural cardiovascular responsiveness to stress compared to people without insomnia. Thus, since excessive sleepiness and symptoms of insomnia may be present in night shift workers they will not be exclusionary.

Where this trial is running

Fort Collins, Colorado

• Colorado State University — Fort Collins, Colorado, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Josiane L Broussard, PhD — Colorado State University
• Study coordinator: Josiane L Broussard, PhD

Conditions Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder of Shift Work Type; Metabolic Disease; Insulin Sensitivity; Blood Pressure; Shift work; Sleep; Blood sugar; Metabolism