Plain-English translation of NCT05166499 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ ·
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This trial is testing whether HMB enriched amino acids—a special supplement containing leucine and related compounds—can help people with cirrhosis rebuild muscle mass that their disease has caused them to lose. Muscle loss is one of the most common complications of cirrhosis and makes the disease worse, yet there are currently no proven treatments for it. Researchers believe this medication may work by helping muscle cells build new protein and reduce the breakdown of existing muscle.
People with cirrhosis lose muscle mass as their liver fails, and this muscle loss gets worse over time and makes transplant surgery riskier. Right now, doctors have no proven way to prevent or reverse this muscle loss, so researchers want to test whether this medication can help.
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You would take the amino acid supplement (or a control comparison drink) for 3 months while the research team measures your muscle mass and protein metabolism. This involves multiple clinic visits where you'll receive muscle biopsies (small tissue samples), have body composition measured, and undergo blood tests and imaging. The study carefully tracks how your muscles respond to the treatment over time.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 15, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States