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Cardiovascular Health Arterial Stiffness Raspberry and Microbiome (CHARM)

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Healthy Volunteers
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Red Raspberry Ellagitannin Extract
Dietary Supplement: Matching Placebo
Registration Number
NCT04087278
Lead Sponsor
King's College London
Brief Summary

In this study, the investigators aim to determine the health benefits of red raspberry ellagitannin consumption on cardiovascular health. The study population is stratified according to the urolithin metabotypes (gut-microbial metabolic profile): UM-0, UM-A and UM-B.

The investigators will evaluate changes in blood pressure, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, lipid profile, cognitive performance and gut microbiome composition.

Detailed Description

Red raspberries are a good source of polyphenols including ellagitannins. Previous work suggests that urolithins, gut microbial metabolites derived from ellagitannins contained in raspberries, can improve vascular health. It has also been observed that the capacity of the gut microbiome to metabolize urolithins can influence the cardiometabolic response to ellagitannin consumption. In this work the investigators aim to investigate whether urolithin metabotypes (UM-A, B and 0) can influence the vascular response to a (poly)phenol-rich breakfast containing red raspberry ellagitannins in a healthy UK population.

You will be stratified by metabotype in a first phase (NCT03573414) and are then randomly allocated to treatment or placebo. Outcomes are measured at baseline and after 12 weeks consumption of the study product.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
79
Inclusion Criteria
  • Healthy men or women aged 20-70 years old
  • BMI between 18.5-35 kg/m²
  • Normotensive: SBP lower than 140 mmHg or DBP lower than 90 mmHg
  • Willing to maintain their normal eating/drinking habits and exercise habits to avoid changes in body weight over the duration of the study
  • Able to understand the nature of the study
  • Able to give signed written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
  • Have required treatment for hypertension at any time (e.g. statins, aspirin, blood pressure lowering drugs)
  • BMI outside range
  • Manifest cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral artery disease
  • Currently treated with a diet
  • Chronic-acute disease
  • Unstable psychological condition
  • Diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, acute inflammation, terminal renal failure, malignancies or abnormal heart rhythm (lower or higher than 60-100 bpm)
  • History of cancer, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular incident or kidney abnormality
  • Allergies to berries, flax seeds and soy milk or other significant food allergy
  • Requiring chronic antimicrobial or antiviral treatment
  • Reported having taken food supplements, dietary supplement or herbal remedies within 1 month of study start
  • Weight loss of more than 10% body weight in the previous 6 months
  • Reported participant in another study within one month before the study start
  • Smoke an irregular amount of cigarettes per day or planning to quit smoking in the next 3 months
  • Unable to tolerate breakfast ingestion
  • Pregnant woman/ lactating woman/ woman planning to become pregnant/ premenopausal women who do not have a regular menstrual cycle/ premenopausal women who do not have adequate method of contraception
  • Any reason or condition that in the judgment of the clinical investigator(s) may put the subject at unacceptable risk or that may preclude the subject from understanding or complying with the study's requirements
  • Unable to swallow the capsule.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Metabotype 0Red Raspberry Ellagitannin ExtractTaking treatment
Metabotype BRed Raspberry Ellagitannin ExtractTaking treatment
PlaceboMatching PlaceboTaking matching placebo
Metabotype ARed Raspberry Ellagitannin ExtractTaking treatment
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in flow-mediated dilation (FMD)Baseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on flow-mediated dilation at 12 weeks post consumption

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in blood lipid concentrationsBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on blood lipids (Total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides), at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in office blood pressureBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on office systolic and diastolic blood pressure, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in heart rateBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on heart rate, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in 24-hour AIx and PWVBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on 24-hour arterial stiffness (AIx and PWV), using a monitor, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in blood flow velocityBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on blood flow velocity at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in pulse wave velocity (PWV)Baseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on pulse wave velocity (PWV) using a Sphygmocor device, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in augmentation Index (AIx)Baseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on augmentation Index (AIx) using a Sphygmocor device, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in blood inflammatory markers (circulating concentrations)Baseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on blood inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6), at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in 24-hour heart rateBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on 24-hour heart rate, using a monitor, at 12 weeks post consumption

Change in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressureBaseline vs 12 weeks post-consumption

Determine the effect of the Red raspberry ellagitannin extract vs Placebo on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (SBP and DBP), using a monitor, at 12 weeks post consumption

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London

🇬🇧

London, United Kingdom

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