Supplementation with Brightseed’s BioMetaControl, which contains the naturally occurring bioactive compounds N-trans caffeoyltyramine (NCT) and N-trans feruloyltyramine (NFT), significantly improved markers of glycemic control in adults with prediabetes, according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed journal Bioactive Compounds in Health and Disease

In the four-week trial, 126 adults with prediabetes received either a proprietary sustained-release supplement containing 120 mg/day of NCT/NFT or a placebo. Participants who received NCT/NFT experienced statistically significant reductions in fasting blood glucose compared to placebo (–4.1 mg/dL vs. –0.7 mg/dL; p=0.0026), along with improvements in fasting insulin, postprandial glucose response, and reduced time spent outside the ideal glucose range, as measured by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). 

“This study represents one of the first rigorous human clinical trials validating the glucose-regulatory potential of NCT and NFT,” said Swati Kalgaonkar, PhD, co-author and head of medical and scientific affairs and clinical research at Brightseed. “By integrating both fasting biomarkers and continuous glucose monitoring, the research provides a more comprehensive picture of how these bioactives support glucose regulation in individuals at risk for metabolic disease.” 

NCT and NFT were identified through Brightseed’s AI-powered discovery engine based on mechanistic relevance to glucose regulation, biological plausibility, and translational potential. According to the company, these compounds act as potent agonists of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α), a transcription factor that plays a central role in glucose sensing, insulin secretion, and hepatic glucose production. 

The recent study highlights the potential role of dietary bioactives as part of a broader lifestyle and nutrition-based approach to metabolic health, the company noted. No adverse events related to the study supplement were reported, and the intervention was well tolerated. 

The trial was conducted at the National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC) in New Delhi, India, by diabetes researchers Dr. Anoop Misra and Dr. Seema Gulati, and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06417840).

“The incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes continues to increase worldwide,” said Dr. Anoop Misra, adding that “once a blood glucose control target is achieved with drug intervention, daily consumption of functional food ingredients or nutraceuticals that support ongoing healthy blood glucose regulation is warranted.”

Dr. Seema Gulati explained that “improved blood glucose regulation helps avoid glycemic excursions (energy highs and dips, as those felt by the study subjects before NCT/NFT supplementation) and this may explain the unsolicited testimonials received from the study subjects around feeling improved all-day energy levels.” 

Brightseed recently commercialized the bioactives used in this study in its commercially-available GLP-1 companion and metabolism ingredient, BioMetaControl.