Cistanche Deserticola Extract Combined With Aerobic Exercise Improves Body Composition, Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Men With Central Obesity

Beijing Sport University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Inflammation; Insulin Resistance; Central Obesity

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Cistanche deserticola Extract; Behavioral: Supervised Aerobic Exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07486557

IRB-2025073

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a randomized controlled trial to see if a combination of aerobic exercise and Cistanche deserticola extract can improve body composition, insulin resistance, and inflammation in men with central obesity. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group (18 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise plus daily Cistanche extract supplementation) or a control group (usual lifestyle advice). The investigators will measure changes in body fat percentage, muscle mass, blood sugar, insulin levels, and inflammatory markers before and after the 18-week intervention. The goal is to find a safe and effective way to help men with central obesity improve their metabolic health. Possible benefits include better body composition and improved insulin sensitivity. Potential risks are mild muscle soreness or digestive discomfort from the supplement.

Enrollment: 125 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 50 to 55 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Chinese males aged 50 to 55 years.
• Central obesity, defined as a waist circumference (WC) > 90 cm and a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25.0 kg/m².
• A daily eating window of ≥ 14 hours.
• Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) ≤ 150 minutes per week.
• Sedentary time ≥ 8 hours per day.

Exclusion criteria

• Confirmed diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes mellitus.
• A history of alcohol consumption or tobacco use.
• Diagnosis of conditions (e.g., arthritis) or presence of injuries that impair gait and limit exercise capacity.
• Participation in other clinical trials within 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Use of treatments or medications that may affect appetite or metabolism.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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125 participants in 4 patient groups

Control Group (CON)

No Intervention group

Cistanche deserticola Group (CD)

Experimental group

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Cistanche deserticola Extract

Aerobic Exercise Training Group (ET)

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Supervised Aerobic Exercise

Combined Intervention Group (CDET)

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Supervised Aerobic Exercise

Dietary Supplement: Cistanche deserticola Extract