MedPath

FOod Additives on the Mucosal Barrier

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Healthy
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Dietary Emulsifier
Registration Number
NCT06552156
Lead Sponsor
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
Brief Summary

This is a 6-week pilot study in 60 healthy volunteers to explore (1) the effect of an emulsifier-free diet (2) the effect of three dietary emulsifiers which are believed to detrimentally affect human health, (3) and the effect of two neutral alternatives (native rice starch and soy lecithin), compared to placebo on intestinal permeability and inflammation, systemic inflammation, and the gut microbiota.

Detailed Description

This is a 6-week randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study in 60 healthy volunteers to explore (1) the effect of an emulsifier-free diet (2) the effect of dietary emulsifiers carrageenan, CMC, and Polysorbate-80 (which are believed to detrimentally affect human health), (3) and the effect of neutral alternatives (native rice starch and soy lecithin) on intestinal permeability and inflammation, systemic inflammation, and the gut microbiota.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • Healthy adults
  • a BMI between 18.5 - 30 kg/m2
  • absence of an eating disorder were required.
Exclusion Criteria
  • pregnancy and lactation
  • presence of a chronic disease or any known condition resulting in immunosuppression
  • past medical history of any eating disorder
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • celiac disease
  • IBD or any other chronic intestinal disorders
  • prior abdominal surgery other than appendectomy or cholecystectomy
  • family history of IBD
  • current use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), laxatives, anti-diarrheal medication, anticholinergic medications, narcotics, antacids, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), or dietary supplements that could not be stopped four weeks before the start of the trial
  • antibiotic, prebiotic or probiotic use in the past three months before enrollment
  • presence of food allergies or intolerance to the components of the study diet
  • experienced diarrhoea withing the two weeks prior to screening.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Soy LecithinDietary EmulsifierBrownies that contained soy lecithin (3.55 g daily, Modernist Pantry, Eliot, ME, USA)
Native Rice StarchDietary EmulsifierBrownies that contained native rice starch (8.72 g daily, Remy B7, BENEO-Remy N.V., Wijgmaal-Leuven, Belgium)
PlaceboDietary EmulsifierThe intervention was delivered through three daily brownies. These were 'plain' brownies without any further addition next to the basic ingredients.
Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)Dietary EmulsifierBrownies that contained carboxymethyl cellulose (2.75 g daily, Modernist Pantry, Eliot, ME, USA)
CarrageenanDietary EmulsifierBrownies that contained k-CGN (375 mg daily, Modernist Pantry, Eliot, ME, USA)
Polysorbate-80 (P80)Dietary EmulsifierBrownies that contained polysorbate-80 (1.350 mg daily, Sigma-Aldrich, Darmstad, Germany)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Intestinal inflammationBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Faecal calprotectin measurement using stool samples (in mg/kg)

Intestinal paracellular permeability measurementsBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Intestinal permeability measurements using the lactulose mannitol urinary excretion ratio (LMR) using urine samples

Metabolic health - insulin resistanceBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Insulin measurement using blood samples

Intestinal transcellular permeability measurementsBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Intestinal transcellular permeability measurements using LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-binding protein (LBP) measurement using blood samples.

Gut microbiome compositionBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Assessment of the gut microbial composition using 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples.

Gut microbiome metabolismBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Assessment of the gut microbial metabolism faecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) measurements from stool samples, including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid.

Systemic inflammation - inflammatory markersBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

OLINK inflammatory proteomic panel using blood samples

Systemic inflammation - CRPBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

C-reactive protein measurement using blood samples

Metabolic health - lipid profileBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

lipid measurements (including LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides) using blood samples

Metabolic health - fasting glucoseBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

Fasting glucose measurements using blood samples

Metabolic health - cardiometabolic markersBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

OLINK cardiometabolic proteomic panel using blood samples

Body composition analysisBaseline - after the emulsifier-free diet (week 2) - after 2 weeks of the supplementation and the emulsifier-free diet (week 4) - at the end of the trial (week 6)

bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Hospital of Leuven

🇧🇪

Leuven, Belgium

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