Pharmacokinetic Effect of AstraGin on Whey Protein Absorption and Muscle Function in Healthy Subjects

December 10, 2025 updated by: Chung Shan Medical University

Pharmacokinetic Effect of AstraGin on Whey Protein Absorption and Muscle Function in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-blind, Crossover Trial.

This study gave healthy people supplements with ginseng and astragalus saponin extracts (AstraGin), combined with whey protein, to explore whether it can promote amino acid absorption and thereby enhance protein nutritional status and muscle function.

This trial is a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial, and the research subjects are adult healthy subjects.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

A randomized-double blind, crossover human trial. 30 healthy adults, subdivided into two groups, are randomized into treatments and placebo groups to ensure equally balanced randomization and comparability, considering factors including age, sex, and diet.

(2) The 1st round: Before each study day, all subjects took a 50 mg AstraGin/placebo (maltodextrin) capsule at 9 p.m. and began fasting for 12 hours, except for a small amount of water the night before the experiment. On each study day, all subjects collected their first blood sample at 9 a.m. from the median cubital vein using the indwelling catheter method. After the first blood collection, all subjects took 50 mg AstraGin/placebo and 35 g of whey protein with 250 mL water.

(3) Additional blood samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min to analyze the plasma concentration of amino acids.

(5) The washout period is seven days, during which the subjects maintain a stable lifestyle and dietary habits. The 2nd round: All subjects take a 50 mg Placebo/AstraGin capsule and conduct the procedure (same as the 1st round)

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.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

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.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

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 Locations

  • Taiwan
      • Taichung, Taiwan
        • Chung Shan Medical University

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy adults and aged 20-65 years.
  • Subject has provided written informed consent to participate in the study.
  • The subject is willing and able to comply with the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The subject is participating in another clinical trial thirty days prior to enrollment.
  • Subject allergy to milk proteins
  • Subject has diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, liver or kidney disease, current infections, and smoking were exclusion criteria.
  • Subject has any medical condition or uses any medication, nutritional product, amino acids supplement, or program which might interfere with the conduct of the study or place the subject at risk.
  • Subjects lost to follow-up, non-compliance, and concomitant medication.

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

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
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.
Experimental: AstraGin

The 1st round: Before each study day, all subjects took a 50 mg AstraGin capsule at 9 p.m. and began fasting for 12 hours, except for a small amount of water the night before the experiment. On each study day, all subjects collected their first blood sample at 9 a.m. from the median cubital vein using the indwelling catheter method. After the first blood collection, all subjects took 50 mg AstraGin and 35 g of whey protein with 250 mL water.

Additional blood samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min to analyze the plasma concentration of amino acids.

The washout period is seven days, during which the subjects maintain a stable lifestyle and dietary habits.

The 2nd round: All subjects take a 50 mg AstraGin capsule and conduct the procedure (same as the 1st round)
Dietary supplement: AstraGin (Ginseng and Astragalus Saponin Extract)
In this study, we are investigating the effects of AstraGin on healthy adults. The testing sample is orally administrated to subjects with 35g whey protein + AstraGin. After intervention, a 180-min kinetics study of plasma amino acids was conducted.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo

The 1st round: Before each study day, all subjects took a 50 mg placebo (maltodextrin) capsule at 9 p.m. and began fasting for 12 hours, except for a small amount of water the night before the experiment. On each study day, all subjects collected their first blood sample at 9 a.m. from the median cubital vein using the indwelling catheter method. After the first blood collection, all subjects took 50 mg placebo and 35 g of whey protein with 250 mL water.

Additional blood samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min to analyze the plasma concentration of amino acids.

The washout period is seven days, during which the subjects maintain a stable lifestyle and dietary habits.

The 2nd round: All subjects take a 50 mg Placebo capsule and conduct the procedure (same as the 1st round)
Dietary supplement: Placebo
In this study, we are investigating the effects of AstraGin on healthy adults. The testing sample is orally administrated to subjects with 35g whey protein + Placebo. After intervention, a 180-min kinetics study of plasma amino acids was conducted.

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
The AUC of BCAA in human plasma
Time Frame: 3 hr
Pharmacokinetic ( 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes)
3 hr

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
Plasma TAC Test
Time Frame: 4weeks、12weeks
4weeks、12weeks
Grip Strength
Time Frame: 4weeks、12weeks
Handgrip strength is assessed using a hand dynamometer to evaluate muscle strength
4weeks、12weeks
Muscle Mass-DXA
Time Frame: 4weeks、12weeks
4weeks、12weeks

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.
Chung Shan Medical 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 30, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

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.
October 30, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

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.
October 30, 2024

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).
October 26, 2023

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.
October 26, 2023

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.
October 31, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
December 18, 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.
December 10, 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.
December 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.
  • CS1-23151

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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