Intestinal Bacteria Growth
Conditions
Keywords
flavonoids, flavanols, bacteria
Brief summary
The primary propose of this study is to determine the impact of flavanol-rich cocoa on the growth of the human gut microbiota.
Detailed description
A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over human intervention study will be conducted in 20 healthy human volunteers to test the impact of a high-flavanol containing meal on the growth of the large intestinal bacteria (microflora). The high flavanol test meal will contain 495 mg of flavanols and the low flavanol control will contain 23 mg of flavanols. The two intervention diets are otherwise matched for macro- and micronutrient content. Changes in the gut microbiota will be determined by measuring bacterial population levels in human faecal material using 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes and fluorescence in situ hybridization. A number of other biochemical and physiological measures will be recorded including blood glucose, lipoproteins, cytokine levels and blood pressure.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTLow flavanol cocoa beverage
23 mg of total flavanols from cocoa
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTHigh flavanol cocoa beverage
495 mg of total flavanols from cocoa
Sponsors
University of Reading
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* a signed consent form * age of 18-50 years inclusive * BMI between 20-26
Exclusion criteria
* pregnant or lactating * allergy to milk products * sensitivity to alkaloids and/or caffeine * gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., chronic constipation, diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease, -inflammatory bowel syndrome, or other chronic gastrointestinal complaints) * diabetes mellitus * hypertension (\>150/90 mm/Hg) * anaemia and gall bladder problems * not consuming probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics or anti-inflammatory or blood lowering medication within a 2-month period prior to the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Faecal bacteria numbers using 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization | baseline and 4 weeks | Measurements of the growth rate and number of bacterial species in human faecal samples using 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes and fluorescence in situ hybridisation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Blood pressure | Baseline, 4 weeks |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed