Plain-English translation of NCT04320264 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This research is investigating why some people's muscles rely too heavily on carbohydrate burning instead of fat burning, and whether this pattern makes it harder to lose weight and stay healthy. Researchers will measure how your body uses fuel at rest and compare people with different muscle metabolism patterns. Some participants who are scheduled for gastric bypass surgery will also be studied before and after their operation to see if the surgery changes how muscles burn fuel.
Many overweight people struggle to lose weight and keep it off, but we don't fully understand why. This study is exploring whether the way your muscles burn fuel — whether they rely too much on carbohydrates versus fats — plays a role in metabolic problems and weight gain. Understanding this connection could lead to better treatments for obesity.
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If you join this study, you will undergo fasting tests that measure how your body uses fuel and how your muscles release lactate (a byproduct of exercise). The researchers will measure your breathing and metabolism while you rest. If you are in the severely obese group scheduled for surgery, you will have these same measurements taken before your gastric bypass and again after surgery to see how the operation affects your muscle metabolism. The study involves outpatient visits with blood draws and non-invasive metabolic testing.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 1, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States
Sponsor
East Carolina University
Collaborators
Duke University, University of Arkansas
Enrollment target
~100 participants
Started
March 2020
Primary completion
December 2025
This trial's estimated completion date has passed — the record may not be fully up to date.
Age range
18 Years – 50 Years
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in August 2025.
Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.
Central contact
Terry Jones, PhD
East Carolina University
Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.