Dysbiosis
Conditions
Keywords
Gut microbiota
Brief summary
Shift workers are a growing population. It is well established that these workers face an increased risk of developing chronic diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain debated. Various factors such as internal circadian desynchronization, unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, and lack of sleep interact in complex ways. Recently, it has been suggested that the gut microbiota (GM) may play an important role in this increased risk. The goal of this study is to describe the variations of the GM composition in shift workers across three different rotating weekly shifts (morning, afternoon, night) and to measure the impact of a 3- week walnuts supplementation intervention consisting in a controlled experimental study. Therefore, we propose a 6-weeks study including an observational and an experimental part. First, in the observational part, we will compare the gut microbiota of shift workers across three shifts (morning, afternoon and night). In the second part of the study, participants will add to their usual intakes a daily serving of nuts (30g). Again, we will compare the gut microbiota composition across the three types of shifts. During the study, participants will record their food intake, sleep and defecation time. We will also monitor their blood glucose levels continuously during the 4 first weeks of the study.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTWalnuts
30g of plain walnuts in addition to habitual food intakes
Sponsors
University Hospital, Geneva
Sophie Bucher Della Torre
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SEQUENTIAL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
3 weeks of observation 3 weeks of intervention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Working 3x8 shifts (weekly rotations between AM, PM and N shifts) for at least 3 months prior to the study * No anticipated changes in shift work planning * No prebiotics or probiotics supplements.
Exclusion criteria
* Antibiotic and/or immunomodulator use in the last 3 months or during the study * Change in medication during the last month or during study * Inflammatory bowel disease or important gut surgery * Nuts allergy * Major digestive tract surgery.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in gut microbiota composition between the first and last day of each type of shift (observation phase) | 3 weeks (6 measurements over time) | Change in relative abundance of bacteria phyla between the first and last day of each type of shift (AM, PM, N). Assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing approach. |
| Change in gut microbiota composition between the first and last day of each type of shift (observation vs intervention) | 6 weeks (12 measurements over time) | Change in relative abundance of bacteria phyla between the first and last day of each type of shift (AM, PM, N). Assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing approach. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Area under the blood glucose curve between each type of shift | 3 weeks | Area under the blood glucose curve between each type of shift (AM, PM, N). Measured using a continuous glucose monitoring. |
| Area under the blood glucose curve in AM shift (observation vs intervention) | week 1 vs 4 | Area under the blood glucose curve during the morning shift (AM) during the observation and the intervention. Measured using a continuous glucose monitoring. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Mean weekly frequency of defecation between each type of shift | 6 weeks |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed