Metabolic and Functional Consequences of Aging in Health and Disease

September 26, 2025 updated by: Marielle PKJ Engelen, PhD, Texas A&M University
Considerable heterogeneity in the aging population has been observed. The exceptional longevity of individuals reaching 100 years old, so-called centenarians may be an example of life-long healthy aging, or added years may be spent in poor health with decreased physical and cognitive functioning. Current knowledge of the aging experience and the trajectories of physical and cognitive decline across various age groups are not well-understood, yet crucial to prevent spending added years in disease. Hence, the study objective is to develop the metabolic profile associated with aging-related disorders measured as the incidence of impaired functional capacity, cognitive function, and/or well-being.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Our lab developed a pulse method combining multiple stable tracers to study multiple metabolic pathways in the same individual simultaneously. By measuring whole-body metabolism in a large group of older adults, we may be able to unravel age-related deterioration in protein turnover (synthesis and breakdown) that contributes to impaired functional capacity. Metabolic profiles could explain differences in pathways in the aging process with a special interest in the metabolism of amino acids as they have been associated with aging-related disorders. Studies on the effect of aging on metabolism might serve as potential therapeutic targets.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
100

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • College Station, Texas, United States, 77845
        • Recruiting
        • Human Clinical Research Building
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

We will screen 200 subjects (to complete n=100). This number includes screen failures and drop-outs. We expect some dropout between screening and enrollment. Subjects who drop out prior to the successful completion of the study will be replaced. Data will be used up to the point of withdrawal. Age range: 50 years or older, inclusive; Ethnicity: all races and ethnicities.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Stable body-weight (± 5%) for the past 3 months
  • Subject is judged to be in satisfactory health based on medical history, physical examination, and laboratory screening evaluations.
  • Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently or with walking mobility aids
  • Ability to lie in a supine or elevated position for up to 3 hours
  • Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
  • Established diagnosis of malignancy
  • History of untreated metabolic diseases including hepatic or renal disorder
  • Presence of acute illness or metabolically unstable chronic illness
  • Presence of fever within the last 3 days
  • Use of short course of oral corticosteroids within 4 weeks preceding study day
  • Failure to give informed consent or Investigator's uncertainty about the willingness or ability of the subject to comply with the protocol requirements
  • (Possible) pregnancy
  • Already enrolled in another clinical trial and that clinical trial interferes with participating in this study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Controls

Study subjects that are eligible based on inclusion/exclusion criteria

Screening visit: body weight and composition by DXA, height, and vital signs will be assessed.

Study day(s): may include combinations of stable tracer infusions and with blood draws, cognitive and muscle performance testing
Other: Stable tracer infusion in a postabsorptive state
Multiple stable-labeled tracers of amino acids, ketoacids, glycerol, short-chain fatty acids
Other Names:
  • Stable tracer infusion

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Age-related changes in whole-body protein and amino acid metabolism
Time Frame: 2 hours
Whole-body production rate measured after stable tracer administration
2 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Age-related changes in whole-body glucose metabolism
Time Frame: 2 hours
Whole-body production rate measured after stable tracer administration
2 hours
Age-related changes in whole-body fat metabolism
Time Frame: 2 hours
Whole-body production rate measured after stable tracer administration
2 hours
Age-related changes in depression as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (if applicable)
Time Frame: baseline visit
Self-reported depression measured by a validated questionnaire related to depression. Each item on the questionnaire is scored from 0-3 and this means that a person can score between 0 (no symptoms) and 21 (severe symptoms). A higher score indicates a worse outcome (greater self-reported depression symptoms).
baseline visit
Age-related changes in anxiety as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
Time Frame: baseline visit
Anxiety measured by a validated questionnaire related to anxiety-related symptoms. Each item on the questionnaire is scored from 0-3 and this means that a person can score between 0 (no symptoms) and 21 (severe symptoms) related to anxiety. A higher score indicates a worse outcome (greater self-reported anxiety symptoms).
baseline visit
Age-related changes in mood as measured by the Profile of Mood State (POMS)
Time Frame: baseline visit
A psychological distress scale to measure the mood disturbance in 6 domains - fatigue-inertia, vigor-activity, tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, and confusion-bewilderment in the past week. Each item on the questionnaire is awarded a score from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely"), except "Relaxed" and "Efficient" scored 4 ("not at all") and 0 ("extremely"), based on the intensity of the assessed feeling in the past week.
baseline visit
Age-related changes in health status
Time Frame: baseline visit
Health status assessed by Health-Related Quality of Life Scale (HR-QoL)
baseline visit
Age-related changes in physical activity
Time Frame: baseline visit
Physical activity assessed by Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)
baseline visit
Age-related changes in sleep quality
Time Frame: baseline visit
Sleep quality assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
baseline visit
Age-related changes in nutritional status
Time Frame: baseline visit
Nutritional status assessed by Mini-Nutritional Assessment
baseline visit
Age-related changes in attention and executive functions as measured by Trail Making Test (TMT)
Time Frame: baseline visit
In Part A, the examinee is instructed to connect a set of 25 circles with numbers as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy. In Part B, the examinee is instructed to connect a set of 25 circles, alternating between numbers and letters, as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy. Measures attentional resources and is a measure of the frontal lobe "executive" functions of visual search, set-switching and mental flexibility. The total time in seconds was reported for each measure.
baseline visit
Age-related changes in overall cognitive abilities as measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Time Frame: baseline visit
MoCa assesses several cognitive domains and is used for the screening of mild cognitive impairment. Total scores range from 0-30 with lower scores indicating decreased functioning.
baseline visit
Age-related changes in exercise capacity
Time Frame: baseline visit
Functional exercise capacity assessed by 6-minute walk test
baseline visit
Age-related changes in physical weakness (frailty)
Time Frame: baseline visit
Physical weakness assessed by Short Physical Performance Battery
baseline visit
Age-related changes in skeletal muscle strength of the upper extremity
Time Frame: baseline visit
Skeletal muscle strength measured by handgrip test
baseline visit
Age-related changes in skeletal muscle strength of the lower extremity
Time Frame: baseline visit
Skeletal muscle strength measured by one-leg test
baseline visit
Age-related changes in respiratory muscle strength
Time Frame: baseline visit
Respiratory muscle strength measured by a hand-held mouth pressure device (Micro RPM)
baseline visit
Age-related changes in balance
Time Frame: baseline visit
Skeletal muscle strength measured by Berg Balance Scale and balance platform
baseline visit
Age-related changes in gut microbiota
Time Frame: baseline visit
The amount and types of microbiota assessed in collected stool sample
baseline visit
Age-related changes in gut function
Time Frame: baseline visit
Gut function assessed by Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, a 15-item instrument designed to assess the symptoms associated with common gastrointestinal disorders. A higher score indicates worse outcomes (more discomfort).
baseline visit

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Age-related changes in hand dexterity
Time Frame: baseline visit
Hand dexterity assessed by the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), a standardized, quantitative assessment in which the subject is asked to take pegs from a container, one by one, and place them into the holes on the board. Time upon completion will be recorded using both left and right hand, separately.
baseline visit

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Texas A&M University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 4, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 19, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 14, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 15, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 2, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 26, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2021-1413
  • 82-Aging (Other Identifier: CTRAL)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Data may be shared upon request for up to 6 years beyond completion of the trial based on methods/proposal approved by both parties' institutional review committees. Individual participant data that underlie the results of the trial may be shared after de-identification (text, tables, figures, and appendices). Additional documents available per request include: study protocol, statistical analysis plan, and informed consent. Requests should be directed to Dr. Marielle Engelen (mpkj.engelen@ctral.org).

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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