Food Effects on Blood Sugar Levels

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Must not be taking: Antihyperglycemics, Diabetogenics, Weight loss

Disqualifiers: CVD, Malignancy, Kidney/liver disease, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial investigates how different foods affect blood sugar levels and why individuals respond differently to the same meals. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) track blood sugar changes after consuming specific foods. The goal is to determine if certain ingredients, such as fiber or vinegar, can more effectively control blood sugar for different individuals. Suitable participants typically have stable blood sugar levels (not exceeding a common marker indicating diabetes) and can travel to Stanford for check-ins. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on personalized nutrition and blood sugar management.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are currently using medications for blood sugar control, diabetes, or weight loss, you will need to stop taking them to participate in this trial.

What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe for participants?

Research has shown that continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are safe and easy to use for tracking blood sugar levels. These small devices continuously measure sugar levels under the skin and primarily assist people with diabetes by providing real-time information. Studies have found that CGMs can identify patterns in blood sugar changes after eating, which is crucial for managing diet and health.

Although some differences in accuracy may exist between CGMs and traditional fingerstick tests, CGMs are widely accepted and used. They offer valuable information without major side effects. In this trial, participants will use CGMs to observe how specific foods affect their blood sugar. Current evidence considers this method safe. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how different foods affect blood sugar levels using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and non-invasive samples like saliva. Unlike traditional blood sugar monitoring, which often involves finger pricks and doesn't provide real-time data, this method offers a more comprehensive and immediate view of how specific meals impact blood sugar. By tracking these changes closely, researchers hope to uncover insights that could lead to more personalized dietary recommendations for managing blood sugar, potentially benefiting people with diabetes or prediabetes.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for controlling blood sugar levels?

This trial will investigate the effects of different foods on blood sugar levels. Participants will consume pre-portioned foods on different days as the first meal of the day, use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and provide saliva and micro samples of blood before and after each meal. Studies have shown that post-meal blood sugar levels are important for understanding how food affects the body. Research indicates that tracking these levels can explain why people react differently to the same foods. Using CGM effectively tracks these changes and identifies patterns in blood sugar levels. Some evidence suggests that certain foods or ingredients, like fiber or vinegar, might help control blood sugar spikes for some people. By observing these patterns, experts aim to provide dietary advice tailored to individual needs. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for people with Type 2 Diabetes, Prediabetes, or those who are healthy and interested in how their bodies respond to food. Participants will be monitored to see how different foods affect their blood sugar levels.

Inclusion Criteria

Willing to provide written informed consent for all study procedures

BMI (body mass index) >19 kg/m2 but < 45 kg/m2

I can travel to Stanford for appointments.

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy/lactation

Heavy alcohol use

Physical activity >2 hours/day

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline

Participants provide baseline samples including stool and baseline glucose levels

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Diet Cycles

Participants consume pre-portioned foods with different mitigators and use CGM to monitor glucose response

Multiple days

Daily monitoring (remote)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the diet cycles

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Post prandial testing

Trial Overview The study tests individual responses to various foods using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). It aims to understand the impact of meals and drinks on blood sugar levels and identify personalized dietary recommendations.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Diet Cycles Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be asked to consume pre-portioned foods on different days as the first meal of the day, use a CGM, and take saliva and micro samples of blood before and after each meal.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Citations

1. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049523002445

Continuous glucose monitoring in a healthy population ... This article reviews the factors which contribute to post-prandial hyperglycemia in individuals without diabetes

2. diabetesjournals.org diabetesjournals.org/care/article/24/4/775/23438/Postprandial-Blood-Glucose

Postprandial Blood Glucose | Diabetes Care A measurement of plasma glucose 2 h after the start of a meal is practical, generally approximates the peak value in patients with diabetes.

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12477350/

Postprandial Glucose: A Variable in Continuum - PMC Postprandial blood glucose outweighs fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in screening coronary heart disease. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):14212. [DOI] ...

4. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-025-07312-y

Positive impact of a 10-min walk immediately after glucose ... Postprandial blood glucose levels typically peak within 30 to 60 min after glucose ingestion. A meta-analysis of nondiabetic patients suggested ...

5. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555976/

Blood Glucose Monitoring - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH Blood glucose monitoring helps to identify patterns in the fluctuation of blood glucose (sugar) levels that occur in response to diet, exercise, medications, ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523036249

Discordance between postprandial plasma glucose ... We discovered discordance between gold standard, fingerstick, and CGM in measuring plasma glucose concentrations after a meal.

7. my.clevelandclinic.org my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17956-blood-sugar-monitoring

Blood Sugar Monitoring: Why, How & When To Check Blood sugar monitoring is one of the most important aspects of managing diabetes, especially for people who have type 1 diabetes and those who take insulin.

8. diabetesjournals.org diabetesjournals.org/clinical/article/38/5/421/32283/Structured-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-in-Primary

Structured Blood Glucose Monitoring in Primary Care Structured BGM is a recommended schedule of actionable blood glucose measurements taken at specific times with the intent of using the data for individualized ...

9. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4014941/

Continuous glucose monitoring system: Is it really accurate ... The continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) has been used for constant checking of glucose level by measuring interstitial glucose concentrations.