Actively Recruiting
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) Metabolism in Human Brown Adipose Tissue
Led by University of Turku · Updated on 2026-02-18
68
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
144 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
A fully functional brown fat helps maintain a healthy weight and decreases the risk of metabolic diseases such as type II diabetes (T2DM). Unfortunately, in human adults, the functionality of brown fat declines with age, and it is one of the reasons for gaining unhealthy weight, particularly around the waistline (central obesity). Currently, scientists do not clearly understand the reasons for the decline in brown fat functionality. It is possible that the decline in the availability of the molecule Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), which is central to several metabolic processes, plays a role in the decline in brown fat metabolism. This project will clarify whether NAD+-based molecular-targeted therapies for the enhancement of whole-body insulin sensitivity and brown fat metabolism will be successful in adult humans, which will eventually be an important target for reducing the development of obesity and its comorbidities such as T2DM.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) Metabolism in Human Brown Adipose Tissue
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Willingness to provide informed consent to participate in the BATNAD study
- Ability to read and speak English, Finnish, or Swedish well enough to understand instructions and consent
- Age between 30 and 55 years with a sedentary lifestyle
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 25 kg/m2 for normal-weight subjects
- BMI of 28 kg/m2 or higher and waist circumference over 100 cm in men or over 90 cm in women for subjects with obesity
You will not qualify if you...
- Unable to undergo PET/CT due to claustrophobia, metal implants, recent tattoos with metal, or weight over 200 kg
- Pregnancy, postpartum or lactation within last 12 months, or planning pregnancy soon
- Major menstrual cycle changes such as amenorrhea
- Use of nicotine-based products
- Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes mellitus with fasting HbA1c over 6.5% or fasting blood sugar over 7.0 mmol/L
- Abnormal oral glucose tolerance test (2-hour OGTT over 11.1 mmol/L)
- Hypertension with blood pressure over 160/100 mmHg
- Abnormal cardiovascular conditions including arrhythmia, long QTc, abnormal heart murmur, or history of heart disease
- Blood clotting disorders
- Cancer
- Immunological, autoimmune, or immunodeficiency disorders
- Recent viral or bacterial infection within 45 days prior to study
- Vaccination within 45 days prior to study
- Fever, major surgery, burns, or trauma within 1 month prior to study
- Chronic infections requiring ongoing antibiotic or antiviral treatment
- Whole blood donation exceeding 400 mL within last 3 months or planned during study
- Weight change over 5% in last 6 months or plans to lose weight during study
- Allergy to lidocaine, epinephrine, or other local anesthetics
- Previous participation in studies involving PET or CT methods
- Use of medications that could affect study participation or results, especially beta or alpha adrenergic receptor agents
- Other cardiovascular, pulmonary, orthopedic, neurologic, psychiatric or other conditions that may prevent safe participation or completion of the study
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Turku PET Centre
Turku, Finland, 20520
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
M
Mueez U-Din, PhD
CONTACT
K
Kirsi Virtanen, MD, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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