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Home-based Heat Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

Impact of a Home-based Heat Therapy Intervention on Markers of Cardiometabolic Function in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05269589
Enrollment
44
Registered
2022-03-08
Start date
2022-02-18
Completion date
2027-12-01
Last updated
2026-05-12

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

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Heat Exposure

Brief summary

Insulin resistance and hyperglycemia predispose individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to endothelial dysfunction and a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Increased CVD risk in individuals with T2DM persists despite optimal pharmacological therapy, highlighting the need to identify complementary lifestyle interventions that improve cardiometabolic functions in this population. Evidence from animal models suggests that heat exposure improves metabolic functions. Notably, weekly heat exposure for 16 weeks blunts hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia induced by a high fat diet in mice. In parallel, studies in humans have shown that heat exposure improves vascular endothelial function. Based on such findings, it has been suggested that heat therapy may represent an effective lifestyle intervention to improve cardiometabolic functions. However, only 1 study has examined the impact of a heat therapy intervention on individuals with T2DM, demonstrating that 6 weeks of heat exposure reduces fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1C. No study has considered potential vascular benefits of heat therapy in individuals with T2DM. This project will investigate cardiometabolic responses to repeated heat exposure in men and women with T2DM. We will test the hypothesis that 12 weeks of heat therapy improves postprandial fatty acid handling, insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in individuals with T2DM.

Interventions

Participants will immerse their feet in a foot bath that contains hot water

OTHERThermoneutral water

Participants will immerse their feet in a foot bath that contains thermoneutral water

Sponsors

Montreal Heart Institute
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
45 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age 45-75 years * Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus ≥1 year * Stable medication ≥12 weeks

Exclusion criteria

* Class 3 obesity * Hypertension not controled by medication * Diagnosis of cardiac, renal and/or pulmonary disease * Diagnosis of severe neuropathy and/or retinopathy * Insulin therapy * Fasting plasma triglycerides \>5.0 mmol/L * Fasting total cholesterol \>7 mmol/l

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C)Change from baseline to 12 weeks

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)Change from baseline to 12 weeks
Postprandial metabolism following mealChange from baseline to 12 weeksQuantified over a 6-hour period following the ingestion of a standardized liquid meal
Peripheral endothelial functionChange from baseline to 12 weeksBrachial artery flow-mediated dilation
Post-occlusion reactive hyperemiaChange from baseline to 12 weeksReactive hyperemia following 5 minutes of forearm ischemia
Ischemic handgrip exerciseChange from baseline to 12 weeksReactive hyperemia following ischemic handgrip exercise
Arterial stiffnessChange from baseline to 12 weeksCarotid-femoral pulse wave velocity
Blood pressureChange from baseline to 12 weeks24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Countries

Canada

Contacts

CONTACTDaniel Gagnon, PhD
daniel.gagnon.3@umontreal.ca514-374-1480

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 13, 2026