Changes in Muscle Strength, Inflammatory Markers, and Body Composition in Response to Alternate Day Fasting Combined With Krill Oil Supplementation in Adults With Overweight and Obesity

NCT06001632 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: U Glasgow
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this double-blind, randomised, controlled trial is to determine the effects of LC n-3 PUFAs supplementation on changes in body composition and muscle strength during body weight loss and body weight maintenance among healthy adults living with overweight and obesity. The main research questions:

• Is supplementation with LC n-3 PUFAs during dietary weight loss intervention (alternative-day fasting) attenuate the reduction in fat-free mass and muscle strength?
• Is supplementation with LC n-3 PUFAs during dietary weight loss intervention (alternative-day fasting) provide additional impact on appetite related hormones (Acylated ghrelin, GLP-1, and PYY) and cardiometabolic risk factors (Post prandial inflammatory markers and Triglycerides)? Participants will be randomly assigned to a PLACEBO (Mix-vegetables oil) or LC n-3 PUFAs group (krill oil) (1:1 basis). Both groups will follow a dietary weight loss intervention (Alternate-day fasting). The study will last for 20 weeks that divided into 3 phases: four weeks of the preparation phase, eight weeks of body weight loss phase (Alternate Day Fasting), followed by eight weeks of body weight maintenance phase (regular diet).

Conditions

Obesity Associated Disorder

Keywords

Obesity; Cardiometabolic risk factors; Fat mass; Fat free mass; Body composition; Muscle strength; LCn-3PUFA

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Changes in fat-free mass

  To assess the effect of supplementation with LCn-3 PUFA during caloric restriction on the changes of fat-free mass. The changes in fat-free mass will be measured by using a deuterium oxide water (D2O) technique. This technique has been used for the past 50 years to estimate total body water (TBW), which is then used to calculate fat-free mass (FFM) in kg. The investigators will take two saliva samples from participants in each visit.

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Muscle function by Handgrip strength

  The Jamar hydraulic Hand dynamometer, which is a portable instrument used in clinical and research settings to precisely measure grip strength and hand function, will be used to measure handgrip strength. It has an adjustable handle that contains five grip position to suit different hand sizes and preferences. It measures the amount of force that a hand can squeeze around the dynamometer, which in term used to predict the overall muscle strength. The hand-held hydraulic system contains a measurement range of 0 to 200 pounds of force (0 to 90 kilograms), making it appropriate for testing hand grip strength. The dynamometer will be adjusted for participant's hand size. Then, the participant will be asked to perform as much grip pressure as possible for two to three seconds. The subjects will receive verbal guidance from the examiner to start and finish the grip test.

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Chair rising test

  The chair rising test will be used to asses physical performance. The subjects will be asked to sit on a chair without armrests and perform a rising from a chair to a full standing position (standing fully erect to a straight and upright position) and then sitting down again as quickly as possible five times with recording time, with arms folded across the chest. The chair rising test will be based on seconds (s).

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Fat mass

  To assess the effect of supplementation with LCn-3 PUFA during caloric restriction on the changes of fat mass. The changes in fat mass will be measured by using a deuterium oxide water (D2O) technique. This technique has been used for the past 50 years to estimate total body water (TBW), which is then used to calculate fat mass in kg. The investigators will take two saliva samples from participants in each visit.

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Appetite related hormone [Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)]

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Appetite related hormone [ Peptide YY (PYY)]

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Appetite related hormone [ Acylated Ghrelin]

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Cardiometabolic risk factor (Triglycerides)

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

• Cardiometabolic risk factor (Insulin)

  4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Krill oil capsules (LC n-3 PUFAs)

EXPERIMENTAL

4 g/day krill oil (SuperbaBoostTM), with each 1g capsule containing 191mg EPA, 94mg DHA and 78mg choline.

Dietary Supplement: krill oil (SuperbaBoostTM)

Vegetable oil capsules

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

4g/day of mixed vegetable oil (a mixture of olive oil (extra virgin, cold-pressed), maize oil (refined), palm kernel oil (refined) and medium-chain triglycerides, in the ratio 4:4:3:2).

Dietary Supplement: 4g/day of mixed vegetable oil

Interventions

krill oil (SuperbaBoostTM) DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

4 g/day of Krill oil supplements (LC n-3 PUFAs) (1g capsule containing 191mg EPA, 94mg DHA and 78mg choline).

Krill oil capsules (LC n-3 PUFAs)

4g/day of mixed vegetable oil DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

vegetable oil capsules (mixture of olive oil (extra virgin, cold-pressed), maize oil (refined), palm kernel oil (refined) and medium-chain triglycerides, in the ratio 4:4:3:2).

Vegetable oil capsules

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 25 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy (male/female)
• body mass index (BMI) of 25 - 39.9 kg/m2
• Aged between 25 and 65 years
• stable body weight for at least three months

You may not qualify if:

• Smokers
• Food allergy
• On any dietary supplements or dietary regimes at the time of the study
• Participants with systolic/diastolic \<90/60 mmHg and \>140/90 mmHg

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Glasgow: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Glasgow, New Lister Building

Glasgow, Scotland, G31 2ER, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Alblaji M, Gray SR, Almesbehi T, Morrison DJ, Malkova D. Benefits of Krill Oil Supplementation During Alternate-Day Fasting in Adults With Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Trial. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2025 Sep;33(9):1694-1703. doi: 10.1002/oby.24354. Epub 2025 Jul 16.

  PMID: 40671417 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Mansour Alblaji

  Human Nutrition School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Lecturer Human Nutrition School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences University of Glasgow

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2023
• First Posted: August 21, 2023
• Study Start: March 28, 2022
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2025
• Study Completion: October 1, 2025
• Last Updated: December 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)