β-glucan and Exercise on Musculoskeletal Function in Sarcopenic Adults

July 25, 2026 updated by: Sang Yeoup Lee, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Effect of Aureobasidium Pullulans Produced β-glucan and Regular Combined Exercise on Musculoskeletal Function and Biomarkers in Adults With Relative Sarcopenia: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The investigators will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan and regular combined exercise on muscle strength, muscle mass, muscle function, and biomarkers in adults with relative sarcopenia for 12 weeks.

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 previous human study has indicated that Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan may increase muscle mass and strength in the elderly. Therefore, the investigators will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan on muscle strength, muscle mass, and muscle function, expanding the target population to adults aged 50 and older with relative sarcopenia, the safety of the compound are also evaluated. The Investigators examine the peak torque/body weight at 60°/s knee extension, handgrip strength, skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and metabolic parameters at baseline and 12 weeks of intervention. Eighty adults were administered either 1,000 mg of Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan or a placebo each day for 12 weeks.

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.
116

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 Locations

  • South Korea
      • Yangsan, South Korea, 50612
        • Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

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:

  • <110% of the standard lean body mass as measured using the body composition analyzer
  • Body mass index (BMI) ranging from 18.5 to 30.0 kg/m2
  • Grip strength of the frequently used hand is based on the following age-specific standards: Men in their 50s (less than 42 kg, women: less than 25.1 kg), Men in their 60s (less than 38.5 kg, women: less than 24.1 kg), Men 70 and older (less than 33.2 kg, women: less than 20.9 kg)
  • Individuals with a Short Physical Performance Battery score of 9 or higher.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Abnormal liver or renal function (more than twice the normal upper limit of the research institute)
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (>160 mg/dL of fasting blood sugar)
  • History of fracture during the previous year
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (>160/100 mmHg)
  • Uncontrolled thyroid diseases.
  • History of serious cerebro-cardiovascular diseases or cancer such as angina or myocardial infarction within 6 months
  • History of any central bone fracture within 1 year
  • History of medication for psychiatric diseases such as severe depression, schizophrenia, and drug intoxication.
  • Alcohol abuser
  • Allergic reaction to Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan
  • Those who participated in other drug clinical trials within 1 month from the screening date.
  • Severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn and indigestion
  • Those who are pregnant, lactating, or plan to become pregnant during the clinical trial
  • Those who are judged to be unsuitable by the PI for other reasons

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

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.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo group
This group takes placebo for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Placebo
Placebo 1,000 mg/day for 12 weeks
Experimental: Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan group
This group takes Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan
Aureobasidium pullulans produced β-glucan 1,000 mg/day for 12 weeks

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
TUG test
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Timed Up & Go test
12 weeks
Muscle strength, 60°/s peak torque (%bodyweight)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
60°/s knee extension peak torque (PT) normalized to bodyweight (BW) (PT/BW), right, left, average and 60°/s knee flextion peak torque normalized to body weight (PT/BW), right, left, average
12 weeks

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
Appendicular skeletal mass/(height x height)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Appendicular skeletal mass/weight x 100
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Skeletal Muscle Mass Index/(height x height)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Hand grip strength, both
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Before starting the procedures, the participants were given verbal guidance on how to squeeze the dynamometers to ensure a maximum value. Then, the participants squeezed the dynamometer as hard as possible for three seconds. There were three measurements with 60-second pause intervals between the trials.
12 weeks
Total body fat (%)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Truncal body fat (%)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Muscle power
Time Frame: 12 weeks
The peak power at 60°/s knee extension left, right (Nm/s), and flexion left, right (Nm/s) at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Skeletal muscle mass (kg)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Short Physical Performance Battery total score
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Short Physical Performance Battery total score at baseline and after 12 weeks. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) total score ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 12. A higher score indicates better physical performance, while lower scores reflect greater impairment in physical function. The SPPB assesses lower extremity function through balance tests, gait speed, and chair stand tests.
12 weeks
Gait speed (seconds)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed by timing the participants as they walked 2.44 metres at their regular pace at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Repeated chair stand test (seconds)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Timed as they completed five sit-to-stand repetitions at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
EuroQol five dimensional five levels
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Index of life quality, minimum, maximum values (0, 1), higher scores mean a better outcome, which will be measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (ng/mL) measured at baseline and after 12 weeks
12 weeks
Muscle strength, 60°/s peak torque
Time Frame: 12 weeks
60°/s knee extension peak torque (PT), right, left, and average and 60°/s knee flexion peak torque (PT), right, left, and average
12 weeks

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.
Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sang Yeoup Lee, MD, PhD, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

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.
October 4, 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.
July 24, 2025

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.
December 31, 2025

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 3, 2024

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 3, 2024

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 8, 2024

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.
July 28, 2026

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.
July 25, 2026

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.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 12-2024-003

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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