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Metabolic Effects of Melatonin Treatment

Metabolic Effects of Melatonin Treatment

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03859934
Enrollment
17
Registered
2019-03-01
Start date
2019-09-26
Completion date
2021-08-18
Last updated
2021-08-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Blood Pressure, Glucose Metabolism Disorders (Including Diabetes Mellitus), Inflammation, Insulin Sensitivity, Metabolic Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Brief summary

Modern living is associated with an epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or frequent awakenings are strong risk factors for T2DM with several studies indicating a central role of melatonin. Additionally, a certain single nucleotide polymorphism in the melatonin receptor gene, MTNR1B rs10830963, with an allele frequency of 30 %, is associated with increased fasting plasma glucose and T2DM. Due to treatment of, among other things, insomnia, the use of melatonin is increasing rapidly in Denmark with a 100-fold increase from 2007-2012 in children and adolescents. No previous studies have thoroughly assessed changes in glucose and fatty acid metabolism after 3 months of melatonin treatment in patients with T2DM.

Detailed description

Modern living is associated with an epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or frequent awakenings are strong risk factors for T2DM with several studies indicating a central role of melatonin. Additionally, a certain single nucleotide polymorphism in the melatonin receptor gene, MTNR1B rs10830963, with an allele frequency of 30 %, is associated with increased fasting plasma glucose and T2DM. Due to treatment of, among other things, insomnia, the use of melatonin is increasing rapidly in Denmark with a 100-fold increase from 2007-2012 in children and adolescents. No previous studies have thoroughly assessed changes in glucose and fatty acid metabolism after 3 months of melatonin treatment in patients with T2DM. Main research questions: 1. Does chronic melatonin treatment change insulin secretion in T2DM patients? 2. Does chronic melatonin treatment change insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients? 3. Does the MTNR1B rs10830963 risk allele alter the insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity compared with carries of the normal variant after chronic melatonin treatment? 4. Does chronic melatonin treatment change insulin signalling in muscle - and adipose tissue? Design: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled, crossover study, including 18 participants with T2DM. We aim to recruit 9 homozygous carriers of the normal allele and 9 hetero - or homozygous for the risk allele. Participants will be examined on two occasions, 1) after 3 months of daily melatonin treatment before bedtime (10 mg), and 2) after 3 months of daily placebo treatment before bedtime. On the study days, participants will initially undergo a basal period with glucose - and palmitate tracer infusions to assess endogenous glucose production and free fatty acid production. Afterwards a Botnia clamp, which combines an intravenous glucose tolerance test and a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, will be performed to assess β-cell function and insulin sensitivity. On both study days muscle - and fat biopsies will be performed under both basal and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic conditions. Perspectives: It is highly relevant to evaluate the chronic effects of melatonin on glucose - and fat metabolism given the increase in melatonin consumption. Furthermore, the study may open for new treatment options of T2DM if beneficial effects of oral melatonin are detected.

Interventions

DRUGMelatonin

Melatonin treatment

DRUGPlacebo Oral Tablet

Placebo treatment

Sponsors

University of Copenhagen
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Aarhus
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Intervention model description

Randomized, placebo controlled, double blinded crossover study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
40 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male sex * Caucasian race * Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) * T2DM duration of maximum 20 years * Age 40-70 years * BMI between 25-35 kg/m2 at T2DM debut * Written consent prior to study participation

Exclusion criteria

* \> 3 daily antihypertensive drugs * Blood pressure \> 160/100 mmHg * Insulin treatment * \> 3 daily oral antidiabetic drugs * \> 1 lipid lowering drug * HbA1c \> 65 * Heart failure (New York Heart Association Class III or IV), liver disease (alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) \> twice the upper limit of normal serum concentration), plasma creatinine \> 130 µmol/L and/or albuminuria, goiter, active cancer, acute or chronic pancreatitis * Treatment with antidiabetic medicine that cannot be paused on study days (or for a week if the participants is treated with longtime-acting GLP-1 analogs) * Shift work within the last year * Travel across \>4 time zones planned within the next 6 months * Use of melatonin on a regular basis within the last year * Severe illness * \> 14 units of alcohol/week * Previous diagnosis of a sleep disorder * Present or earlier alcohol or drug abuse * Unable to give informed consent * Allergy towards melatonin * Daily consumption of benzodiazepines, fluvoxamine, amiodarone, efavirenz, fluoroquinolones, rifampicin, and carbamazepine due to interactions with the pharmacokinetics of melatonin. * Severe sleep apnea (\>30 respiration breaks/hour over 10 seconds) * Medical treated depression or anxiety disorders within the last 3 years * Daily consumption of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change of insulin sensitivityThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatment and compared afterwards with a paired T-tesInsulin sensitivity is assessed by a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, unit: mg/kg/min (mg of glucose to maintain euglycemia per kilogram of weight per minuts)
Change of insulin secretion changeThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentInsulin secretion is assessed by an intravenous glucose tolerance test, unit: pmol/L (insulin)
MTNR1a rs10830963 influence on change in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretionThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and again after 3 months of melatonin treatmentMTNR1a rs10830963 genotype influence on insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion (see outcome 1 + 2)
Change of insulin signallingThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentInsulin signalling in muscle and adipose tissue assessed by western blot

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change of sleep evaluation 2After 3 months treatmentThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentEpworth Sleepiness Scale Questionnaire (Points on a scale: range 0-24)
Change of psychological health 1The outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentMajor Depression Inventory Questionnaires (points on a scale: range 0-65)
Change of psychological health 2The outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentWorld Health Organization 5 Questionnaires (points on a scale: range 0-25)
Hormonal changesThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentGhrelin, HbA1c, GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, free fatty acids (FFA), leptin, cytokines, adiponectin, growth hormone, cortisol, hsCRP, CD163, MBL, IGF-1 and proinsulin measured by ELISA, RIA, or routine biochemical analysis. Unit: pmol/L
Change of ambulatory blood pressureThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentAmbulatory blood pressure assessed with Mobil-O-graph, I.E.M., Stolberg, Germany (Unit: mmHg)
Change of regional glucose and palmitate uptakeThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentForearm model with arteriovenous differences of glucose and palmitate (Arterial glucose minus venous glucose = forearm uptake (unit mmol/l). The same applies for palmitate
Change of DEXA-scansThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentEvaluation of body composition and bone mineral density by DEXA-scan
Change of assessment of respiratory quotient (RQ)The outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentAssessment of respiratory quotient (RQ) with indirect calorimetry (unit: VCO2/VO2)
Change of assessment of resting energy expenditure (REE)The outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentAssessment of resting energy expenditure (REE) with indirect calorimetry (Unit J/s)
Change of glucose and palmitate kineticsThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentTracer technique with infusion of radioactive labeled glucose and palmitate for determination of rate of appereance. Unit: mikromol/min
Change of arterial stiffnessThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentArterial stiffness assessed with Mobil-O-graph, I.E.M., Stolberg, Germany (unit: m/s)
Change of gut microbiomeThe outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentFeces analysis of microbial mRNA
Change of sleep evaluation 1The outcome will be measured after 3 months of placebo treatment and after 3 months of melatonin treatmentPittsburg Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire (Points on a scale: range 0-57)

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026