Amber S Kleckner, Carin L Clingan, Shari M Youngblood, Ian R Kleckner, Lauren Quick, Rebecca D Elrod, Shijun Zhu, Emily N C Manoogian, Satchidananda Panda, Ashraf Z Badros, Ashkan Emadi
{"title":"Time-restricted eating to address persistent cancer-related fatigue among cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Amber S Kleckner, Carin L Clingan, Shari M Youngblood, Ian R Kleckner, Lauren Quick, Rebecca D Elrod, Shijun Zhu, Emily N C Manoogian, Satchidananda Panda, Ashraf Z Badros, Ashkan Emadi","doi":"10.1007/s00520-025-09394-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Time-restricted eating (TRE) helps regulate rest-activity rhythms, blood glucose, and other diurnally regulated energetics processes, which may have implications for persistent fatigue. In a randomized controlled trial, we tested the effects of TRE vs. control on fatigue in cancer survivorship.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adult cancer survivors were recruited who were 2 months to 2 years post-treatment and reported moderate to severe fatigue. Participants were randomized 1:1, TRE:control, and all received individualized nutrition counseling. The TRE group self-selected a 10-h eating window for 12 weeks. At baseline, week 6, and week 12, participants were asked to log eating instances, complete the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue questionnaire (FACIT-F, higher score = less fatigue), and wear an actigraph and continuous glucose monitor.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty participants completed baseline assessments and were randomized (77% female, 53% Black/African American, 43% White, 7% Hispanic; 54.1 ± 14.7 years old; 87% with blood cancer); 25 completed 12-week assessments. TRE led to a meaningful reduction in fatigue at week 12 controlling for baseline levels (change in FACIT-F fatigue subscale = 0.0 ± 5.4 for control, 4.1 ± 5.7 for TRE, p = 0.11, effect size (ES) = 0.70; clinically meaningful threshold = 3.0 points). Glucose parameters (e.g., average interstitial glucose, average fasting glucose) tended to be lower, and rest-activity rhythms tended to indicate more regularity for those in the TRE vs. control group at weeks 6 and 12, though differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.19).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A 12-week, nutritionist-led TRE program led to less fatigue than control. Continued study of TRE patterns are warranted to optimize this eating pattern and address persistent cancer-related fatigue.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05256888.</p>","PeriodicalId":22046,"journal":{"name":"Supportive Care in Cancer","volume":"33 4","pages":"353"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Supportive Care in Cancer","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-025-09394-w","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Time-restricted eating to address persistent cancer-related fatigue among cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.
Purpose: Time-restricted eating (TRE) helps regulate rest-activity rhythms, blood glucose, and other diurnally regulated energetics processes, which may have implications for persistent fatigue. In a randomized controlled trial, we tested the effects of TRE vs. control on fatigue in cancer survivorship.
Methods: Adult cancer survivors were recruited who were 2 months to 2 years post-treatment and reported moderate to severe fatigue. Participants were randomized 1:1, TRE:control, and all received individualized nutrition counseling. The TRE group self-selected a 10-h eating window for 12 weeks. At baseline, week 6, and week 12, participants were asked to log eating instances, complete the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue questionnaire (FACIT-F, higher score = less fatigue), and wear an actigraph and continuous glucose monitor.
Results: Thirty participants completed baseline assessments and were randomized (77% female, 53% Black/African American, 43% White, 7% Hispanic; 54.1 ± 14.7 years old; 87% with blood cancer); 25 completed 12-week assessments. TRE led to a meaningful reduction in fatigue at week 12 controlling for baseline levels (change in FACIT-F fatigue subscale = 0.0 ± 5.4 for control, 4.1 ± 5.7 for TRE, p = 0.11, effect size (ES) = 0.70; clinically meaningful threshold = 3.0 points). Glucose parameters (e.g., average interstitial glucose, average fasting glucose) tended to be lower, and rest-activity rhythms tended to indicate more regularity for those in the TRE vs. control group at weeks 6 and 12, though differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.19).
Conclusions: A 12-week, nutritionist-led TRE program led to less fatigue than control. Continued study of TRE patterns are warranted to optimize this eating pattern and address persistent cancer-related fatigue.
期刊介绍:
Supportive Care in Cancer provides members of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and all other interested individuals, groups and institutions with the most recent scientific and social information on all aspects of supportive care in cancer patients. It covers primarily medical, technical and surgical topics concerning supportive therapy and care which may supplement or substitute basic cancer treatment at all stages of the disease.
Nursing, rehabilitative, psychosocial and spiritual issues of support are also included.