Cheese Consumption for Inflammation

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Must not be taking: Anti-obesity agents, Corticoid steroids

Disqualifiers: Autoimmune, Asthma, Cancer, Diabetes, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 1 day per test session

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to assess how eating cheddar cheese or a vegan cheese substitute affects inflammation in the body over six hours. Researchers will divide participants into two groups: one will eat a cheddar cheese sandwich, and the other will eat a vegan cheese sandwich, along with a special drink. This study suits individuals with certain aspects of metabolic syndrome, such as a large waist or high blood pressure, or those with a BMI of 30 or higher. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding dietary impacts on inflammation.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you have started using certain medications like statins, anti-inflammatory supplements, or corticoid steroids in the last 12 weeks.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that cheese, such as Cheddar, might reduce inflammation by increasing substances in the body that combat it. Some studies suggest that aged Cheddar offers benefits that protect cells and reduce inflammation. However, cheese contains significant amounts of saturated fat and salt, which can impact heart health.

For vegan cheese, studies suggest it is less likely to contain certain bacteria typically found in animal products, such as Listeria. However, it generally has less protein than regular cheese.

Overall, both Cheddar and vegan cheese are considered safe to eat. Studies have not reported any major safety concerns for either type. It is important to consider dietary needs and consult a doctor if unsure. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Researchers are excited about these treatments for inflammation because they explore the potential effects of dietary changes using cheddar cheese and vegan cheese. Unlike typical anti-inflammatory treatments that often involve medications or supplements, this approach focuses on whole food options. Cheddar cheese and vegan cheese sandwiches, supplemented with energy-rich beverages, provide a balanced macronutrient profile that could offer a natural way to manage inflammation. This trial is unique in its dietary focus, providing an innovative angle on how food choices might influence inflammatory processes.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for inflammation?

Research has shown that dairy products, like cheese, often help reduce inflammation in people. For individuals with metabolic disorders, cheese might be particularly beneficial. Studies indicate that eating cheese does not cause inflammation in healthy adults. In this trial, participants will receive either a cheddar cheese sandwich or a vegan cheese sandwich to study their effects on inflammation. Vegan cheese, made from plant proteins, typically contains less protein than regular cheese. Although there is less direct research on how vegan cheese affects inflammation, its production generally results in fewer greenhouse gases. This trial examines the effects of both types of cheese on inflammation. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

J. Bruce German, PhD

Principal Investigator

UC Davis

Angela M. Zivkovic, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, Davis

Marta Van Loan, PhD

Principal Investigator

ARS USDA WHNRC

Bruce D. Hammock, PhD

Principal Investigator

UC Davis

Jennifer T. Smilowitz, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, Davis

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults aged 18-65 with metabolic syndrome, characterized by conditions like central obesity or high blood pressure. Participants should not have eating disorders, immune diseases, severe allergies to study foods, diabetes, recent changes in exercise or diet habits, a BMI over 40 or weight over 400 lbs., and must not be planning pregnancy.

Inclusion Criteria

I have at least two symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

Exclusion Criteria

Your diet has too much omega-6 compared to omega-3 fatty acids.

You eat more than 1% of your daily energy from trans fats.

You started a new exercise program in the last 4 weeks.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants consume a test meal of either cheese or a non-dairy cheese substitute, with blood draws at 0, 1, 3, and 6 hours postprandially

1 day per test session

2 visits (in-person, separated by 2 weeks)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in plasma inflammatory mediators and other biomarkers postprandially

6 hours postprandial monitoring per test session

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Cheddar cheese
• Vegan cheese

Trial Overview The study compares the effects of consuming cheddar cheese versus vegan cheese on inflammation in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Over six hours, researchers will monitor how these two types of cheese influence inflammatory responses.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Cheese Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Cheese sandwich plus supplemental beverage will deliver 40% of each participants' energy expenditure and will be made up of 50% of energy as fat, 35% of energy as carbohydrate and 15% of energy as protein. The sandwich will contain medium cheddar cheese and whole wheat bread. The supplemental beverage will contain fruit sorbet, glucose polymer, protein powder, high oleic sunflower oil, high polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) sunflower oil, and canola oil.

Group II: Vegan cheese Active Control 1 Intervention

Non-dairy cheese alternative sandwich plus supplemental beverage will deliver 40% of each participants' energy expenditure and will be made up of 50% of energy as fat, 35% of energy as carbohydrate and 15% of energy as protein. The sandwich will contain vegan cheese and whole wheat bread. The supplemental beverage will contain fruit sorbet, glucose polymer, protein powder, cream of tartar, high oleic sunflower oil, high PUFA sunflower oil, and palm oil.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Davis

Lead Sponsor

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

Dairy Research Institute

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

1,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10509445/

Cheese consumption and multiple health outcomes Our results indicate that cheese consumption has neutral to moderate benefits for human health, particularly ≥40 g/d, with a moderate quality of evidence for ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/cheese-consumption-for-inflammation-075f5

Cheese Consumption for Inflammation · Info for Participants Research suggests that dairy products, including cheese, generally have anti-inflammatory effects in humans, especially for those with metabolic disorders.

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01803633

Determine How Consumption of Dairy Fat as Cheese ... Phase 2 of this study involves determining how consumption of cheese compared with a non-dairy cheese substitute influences inflammation over a six hour period.

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322002125

Milk and Dairy Product Consumption and Inflammatory ... The main findings of the present SR were that the consumption of milk or dairy products did not show a proinflammatory effect in healthy adults.

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8502778/

Exploring the Links between Diet and Inflammation: Dairy ... The authors concluded that dairy fat, largely from cheese, did not appear to impact postprandial inflammation relative to other nondairy mixed ...

6. kosfaj.org kosfaj.org/archive/view_article?pid=kosfa-44-6-1373

Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, and Anti-Inflammatory ... Overall, the peptides contained in aged Cheddar cheese were shown to have excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activities, and long- ...

7. insidetracker.com insidetracker.com/a/articles/is-cheese-bad-for-you

Is Cheese Bad for You? The Evidence Says No—with ... Cheese is typically not associated with inflammation markers, though high cheese intake is common in people with IBD and acne; Results show ...