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NCT Number: NCT06855784

Time-Restricted Eating in Menopause and HOrmone-sensitive Breast Cancers (TREMHO)

This study is aimed at women currently going through menopause, either as part of the natural process (physiological menopause), or following hormonal treatment for breast cancer. There are several ways of slowing the weight gain frequently encountered in this situation, reducing the intensity of menopause-related symptoms and improving quality of life in this context.

In this trial, the investigators examine the efficacy and possible adverse effects of intermittent fasting compared with a control intervention. Participation lasts 14 weeks, with an optional 12-month follow-up. Study participants are randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. In the intervention group, study participants fast for 16 hours per day and eat over a period of 8 hours (intermittent fasting often called time-restricted eating [TRE] 16h/8h). In the control group, the usual eating pattern is continued for 12 weeks.

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of TRE in terms of weight and fat loss, improvement in metabolic profile, menopausal symptoms and bone health. In addition, the study team closely monitors any adverse effects.

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Key information

Age range

45 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Geneva University Hospitals

Geneva, Canton of Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Alexandre Bodmer, MD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Anita Wolfer, MD, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Charna Dibner, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Emmanuel Biver, MD, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Isabelle Streuli, MD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Maria Papageorgiou, PhD

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Tinh-Hai Collet, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41-22-372 91 92

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Women with confirmed physiological menopause without current anti-cancer treatment (group A), or women with menopausal symptoms in the context of aromatase inhibitors used as adjuvant therapy for hormone-sensitive non-metastatic breast cancers regardless of physiological menopause before the cancer diagnosis (group B)
  • Age 40-65 years
  • Body mass index 25-40 kg/m2
  • Stable weight (± 2 kg) over the previous month
  • Eating window ≥ 12 hours (self-reported and measured during the run-in phase)
  • Able to give informed consent and follow the study procedures for the entire duration
  • Confident use of a smartphone and able to take regular pictures of food/drinks

Exclusion criteria

  • On a hypocaloric restrictive diet, intermittent fasting or in a weight management program over the previous month
  • Previous bariatric surgery or planned during the study
  • Active eating disorder(s) or major mental illness at inclusion
  • Psychoactive treatment with recent or planned changes of drug compound or dosage
  • Treatments affecting body weight (e.g. glucocorticoids, GLP-1 receptor analogues)
  • Diabetes with hypoglycemic drug(s) will be excluded, however those with prediabetes (as defined by the American Diabetes Association) or diabetes with no risk of hypoglycemia (i.e. treated with non-hypoglycemic drugs or without medication) will be included
  • Active metabolic bone diseases (e.g. Paget disease, osteomalacia), however women with osteoporosis will be included
  • Shift work comprising night shifts (working between 11pm and 6am) over the previous 2 weeks or planned during the study
  • Travel/trip to a different time zone (≥ 2-hour time difference) over the previous 2 weeks or planned during the study
  • Enrolled in another interventional clinical trial (medication, surgery, medical device) over the previous 2 weeks or planned during the study

Treatment and study plan

Time-Restricted Eating 16h/8h

Behavioral

Participants will be advised to eat only during a self-selected window of 8 hours over the 24-hour cycle, with a 1-hour allowance according to their daily routine.

Other names: TRE 16h/8h

Active Control

Behavioral

Participants will be advised to eat 2 to 3 meals every day according to their eating habits and social activities

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in body weight

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in Kg) in light clothing using a calibrated medical-grade scale

  2. Changes in body fat mass

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in Kg) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in menopause / climacteric symptoms

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Assessed by questionnaire

  2. Changes in bone mineral density

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in g/cm3) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

  3. Changes in bone turnover marker CTX

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    C-telopeptide cross-linked type 1 collagen (CTX) measured (in ng/L) by clinical chemistry

  4. Changes in bone turnover marker P1NP

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) measured (in μg/L) by clinical chemistry

  5. Changes in joint pain

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Joint pain assessed by questionnaire (0 = absent to 7 = Extremely bothered)

  6. Changes in body mass index (BMI)

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Expressed in percent of baseline value (body mass index = weight in Kg divided by the height in meters squared, unit Kg/m2)

  7. Changes in waist circumference

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in cm) with a measuring tape, following the WHO 2008 Expert Report

  8. Changes in hip circumference

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in cm) with a measuring tape, following the WHO 2008 Expert Report

  9. Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in mmHg) with an arm cuff in the sitting position

  10. Changes in fasting plasma glucose

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in mmol/L) by clinical chemistry

  11. Changes in lipid profile

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol concentrations measured (in mmol/L) by clinical chemistry

  12. Changes in lean body mass

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in Kg) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

  13. Changes in body composition

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Fat mass and fat-free mass (in Kg) measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

  14. Changes in muscle function

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured (in Kg) by handgrip strength

  15. Changes in glucose excursion

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by continuous glucose monitoring

  16. Changes in metabolomic profile

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by high-throughput mass spectrometry metabolomics

  17. Changes in physical activity

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by actigraphy (in activity counts, CamNTech proprietary algorithm) and by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, aggregated in MET-minutes/week)

  18. Changes in sleep/wake cycles

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by actigraphy assessed as time of sleep onset and wake-up in 24-hour cycle

  19. Changes in sleep duration

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by actigraphy

  20. Changes in body temperature

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Measured by body temperature wearable device

  21. Changes in sleep quality

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI, minimum score = 0 (better); maximum score = 21 (worse)]

  22. Changes in eating duration

    Time frame: From randomization visit to close-out visit (12 weeks)

    Duration from the first to last caloric intake over 24-hour cycle

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Céline Joris, BSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

Tinh-Hai Collet, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41-22-372 91 92

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Geneva

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Time-Restricted Eating to Improve Body Composition and Symptoms in Menopause and HOrmone-sensitive Breast Cancers (TREMHO) - An Open-label Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: TREMHO

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Mar 4, 2025
Registry last updated
Jan 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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