Nutritional Supplementation on Physiological and Metabolic Markers in Females

May 22, 2026 updated by: University of Southampton

A Pilot Study Investigating the Effects of a Nutritional Supplement on Physiological and Metabolic Markers in 38-55-year-old Females

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a 12-week nutritional supplement can result in significant changes in the body composition of 38-55-year-old females. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does a 12-week nutritional supplementation with myo-inositol, berberine, cinnamon, and chromium lead to significant changes in body composition (e.g. body mass index, body fat composition) in females aged 38-55 compared to placebo?
  • Does a 12-week nutritional supplementation with myo-inositol, berberine, cinnamon, and chromium lead to significant changes in small molecules (metabolites) in plasma and urine, menopause-related symptoms, and physical performance (e.g. grip strength) in females aged 38-55 compared to placebo? Researchers will compare the nutritional supplement to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no nutritional supplement) to see if the intervention works to change body composition in females aged 38-55.

Participants will:

  • Sign a consent form before any procedures begin
  • Attend two visits to the clinical research facility at Southampton General Hospital over 12 weeks.
  • Fast before visit's and provide blood and urine samples at each visit
  • Undergo measurements at each visit, including waist and hip circumferences, grip and leg strength, and body composition.
  • Complete questionnaires about general health, menopause-related changes, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet.
  • Take 1 capsule 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) for the first 10 days.
  • Take 3 capsules 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) from day 11 to day 84.
  • Record supplement intake in a daily compliance diary during the study

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Menopause is defined as the reproductive condition of amenorrhea for 12 months, as a result of reduced activity of ovarian follicles and hormonal changes, including oestrogen, androgens, and progesterone (Schoenaker et al., 2014). Globally, approximately 47 million females transition into menopause annually (Wright et al., 2024). Hormonal decline can reflect in several physical, mental, and genitourinary symptoms (Koo et al., 2017; Woods et al.,2005). Common physical manifestations include sleep disturbance, hot flushes, mood changes, night sweats, and fatigue (Santoro et al., 2021).

The current average age at menopause in the United Kingdom is 51 years, typically occurring between 45 and 55 (Anto et al., 2025); however, a significant number of females experience menopause earlier than expected (Shadyab et al., 2017; Adamopoulos et al., 2002). When menopause occurs before the normal age, it may be classified as premature (before 40 years), early (between 40-45 years), or induced menopause (result of bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, or ovarian ablation through radiation therapy) (Santoro et al., 2021; Stuenkel et al., 2015; Moorman et al., 2011).

Menopause-related physical and metabolic changes are mainly a consequence of oestrogen deficiency, affecting lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, energy consumption, and body fat composition (El Khoudary et al., 2019; Fenton et al., 2021). Changes in body composition during menopause often lead to an increase in body mass index (BMI), particularly due to higher fat accumulation and reduced lean muscle mass. During perimenopause, females experience progressive weight gain at an estimated rate of 1.5 kg per year, resulting in an average increase of approximately 10 kg by the time menopause is reached (Lambrinoudaki et al., 2022). Higher BMI during menopause has been linked with an elevated risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (Harlow et al., 2012; Ryczkowska et al., 2023; Jeong et al., 2022).

To address these menopause-associated changes, several therapeutic approaches are utilised, including both hormonal and non-hormonal strategies. Natural nutritional supplements have emerged as promising options because of their potential benefits. Among these, cinnamon extracts have gained attention due to their anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and immunomodulatory properties, which may alleviate postmenopausal symptoms (Refaei et al., 2024). Alongside cinnamon, myo-inositol has been shown to alleviate vasomotor symptoms, improving lipid and glucose metabolism and reducing cardiovascular risk factors (Mainini et al., 2024). By targeting changes in body composition during menopause, nutritional supplements represent a strategic approach to improving quality of life for menopausal females.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

80

Phase

  • 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 Backup

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
    • Hampshire
      • Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom, SO16 6YD
        • NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility
        • 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Assigned sex at birth is female
  • Aged 38-55 years

  • Experiencing irregular menstrual cycles but not amenorrheic for more than 12 months or have at least one of the following recent symptoms (i.e., from 38 years onwards): (1) hot flushes, (2) sleep disturbances, (3) mood swings, (4) concentration difficulties, (5) bloating or (6) weight gain.

    • Willing to avoid taking other food supplements during the study period
    • Able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diabetes
  • BMI <18.5 kg/m2
  • Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
  • No active cancer or cancer within last 5 years
  • Total Hysterectomy
  • Known allergies to cinnamon extract, chromium, berberine, myo-inositol
  • Currently taking part in research, or have done within the last 3 months
  • Diagnosed autoimmune diseases
  • Diagnosed hypoglycemia

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Nutritional supplement

Nutritional supplement:

  • Take 1 capsule 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) for the first 10 days.
  • Take 3 capsules 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) from day 11 to day 84.
Dietary supplement: Nutritional Supplement
Nutritional Supplement (myo-inositol, berberine, cinnamon, chromium) composed of 4 natural bioactives extracted from plants, including fruits, roots, barks, and grains.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo

Placebo:

  • Take 1 capsule 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) for the first 10 days.
  • Take 3 capsules 3 times a day at the onset of a meal (once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening) from day 11 to day 84.
Dietary supplement: Placebo
Placebo: Maltodextrin

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Body mass index
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
To compare the body mass index by measuring the weight after 12-week intervention
At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Body fat composition
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention versus placebo by measuring Waist and hip circumferences
At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention
Metabolomic profile of the plasma sample
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention to a placebo on the plasma metabolome
At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
Metabolomic profile of a urine sample
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention versus placebo on the urinary metabolome.
At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
Menopause-related changes
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention on self-reported menopause-related changes versus placebo.
At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
Hand grip dynamometry
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention versus placebo on grip strength
At the baseline visit and at the end of 12 weeks intervention
Portable strength tracking system
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention versus placebo on leg strength
At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention
Transcriptomic profile of blood sample
Time Frame: At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention
To compare the effect of a 12-week nutritional intervention versus placebo on the blood transcriptome
At the baseline visit and at the end of the 12-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Southampton

Collaborators

The Better Menopause

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Colleen S Deane, PhD, University of Southampton

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 (Estimated)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 22, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ERGO111652

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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.

Clinical Trials on Body Composition Changes

Clinical Trials on Nutritional Supplement

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Mexico

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe