L‑serine supplements with or without strength training for older adults
Official title: L-serine and Strength Training in the Elderly
Run by University of Vienna · NCT07466290 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tries daily L‑serine supplements, alone or combined with supervised strength training, to see if they improve thinking, brain health, and physical fitness in healthy 65–85‑year‑olds.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 65 Years to 85 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 126 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Vienna Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Vienna, State of Vienna) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2028 |
| Registry record updated | March 12, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07466290 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy, independently mobile men and women aged 65–85 with Mini‑Mental State Examination scores above 23 who have not been doing regular strength training in the prior 6 months.
✕Probably not a fit
People with chronic conditions that contraindicate exercise, frailty (Frailty Index ≥3), regular recent strength training, or MRI contraindications are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a randomized, double‑blind, controlled interventional study with three parallel groups (placebo, L‑serine, and L‑serine plus strength training) run over 48 weeks. Healthy, independently mobile men and women aged 65–85 will undergo cognitive testing, physical performance testing, MRI and EEG, and blood biomarker analyses at multiple time points. The primary outcome is change in a composite cognitive score (RBANS), with secondary outcomes including brain structure and function, markers of oxidative stress and immune function, muscle mass, and physical performance. The design allows comparison of nutritional supplementation alone versus combined multimodal intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help older adults maintain or improve cognitive performance, brain health markers, and muscle strength during aging.
How similar studies have gone: Resistance training has shown cognitive and physical benefits in older adults in prior work, while L‑serine supplementation for cognition is relatively novel with limited clinical evidence so far.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women between the ages of 65 and 85 * Mini-Mental-State \>23 * Independently mobile, without aids (walker, cane, etc.) Exclusion Criteria: * Chronic diseases that contraindicate medical training therapy * Regular strength training (\>1x/week) in the last 6 months before confinement * Frailty Index ≥ 3 * Lack of written consent to test physical performance * Regular use of Cortison-containing medications or Antibiotika * MR-specific exclusion criteria: claustrophobia, metal equipment or other magnetic Material in or on the body * Non-compliance with the study protocol: \<70% of the planned L-serine administration, \<70% of the strength training
Where it's running
-
NuTraLab
Vienna, State of Vienna, Austria Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Karl-Heinz Wagner, Prof.
- Email: karl-heinz.wagner@univie.ac.at
- Phone: +43-1-4277-54930
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.