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Improving Insulin Sensitivity in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Via Repeated Cold-induced Shivering Thermogenesis

NCT07573917 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 15

Last updated 2026-05-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a widespread health condition characterized by impaired ability of the body to maintain glucose homeostasis. This impairment often leads to secondary complications, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and poor quality of life. While exercise and healthy eating are effective strategies in managing and preventing T2DM, data shows that long-term adherence to these methods are poor - especially among elderly, individuals with obesity and/or with physical limitations.

This clinical study explores cold exposure with shivering as a novel strategy to improve blood sugar control and heart health. In earlier research, spending time in mildly cold environments (around 15-17°C) for a few hours a day improved insulin sensitivity of T2DM patients. Interestingly, these benefits only occurred when the cold caused mild shivering. In a recent 10-day cold acclimation study with overt shivering for minimally 1 hour/day, we observed improved glucose tolerance in participants with overweight/obesity, as well as improved fasting lipid profiles. These results indicate that when accompanied with sufficient level of muscle activation, repeated exposure to cold can beneficially affect both glucose and lipid levels - both of which are impaired in people with T2DM.

In this study, we hypothesise that a 10-day cold acclimation with shivering will improve the (peripheral) insulin sensitivity of patients with T2DM, accompanied by enhanced skeletal muscle FA uptake and oxidation as assessed via the 11C palmitate uptake.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Cold exposure with shivering

Cold exposure which elicits a minimally 80% increase in the baseline metabolic rate of participants.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Maastricht University Medical Center

    collaborator OTHER

  • Université de Sherbrooke

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Denis P. Blondin, PhD · Université de Sherbrooke

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Max Age
75 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-09-24
Primary Completion
2026-10-31
Completion
2027-05-31

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07573917 on ClinicalTrials.gov