Broccoli Sprouts for Healthy Eating

Overseen By Emily Ho

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Oregon State University

Must not be taking: Statins, Orlistat, Cholestyramine, others

Disqualifiers: Tobacco use, Pregnancy, Diabetes, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

Duration: 1 day

83 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this project is to study the molecular and metabolic profiles in human plasma, urine and microbiome composition following the consumption of broccoli sprouts.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires you to stop taking herbal and plant-based supplements, as well as cruciferous vegetables and probiotic supplements, one week before and during the study. If you are on medications for cholesterol or fat absorption, you cannot participate in the trial.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Broccoli Sprouts for Healthy Eating?

The research highlights the challenges in demonstrating health benefits from nutrition interventions, but it suggests that such interventions can improve quality of life by increasing appetite, food intake, and socialization. While not directly related to broccoli sprouts, these findings imply that nutrition-focused treatments may have positive effects on overall well-being. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is it safe for humans to consume broccoli sprouts?

There is no direct human safety data available from the provided research, but studies in mice suggest that broccoli sprouts may have protective effects on gut health without indicating any safety concerns. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does the treatment with deuterium-labeled broccoli and alfalfa sprouts differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it uses deuterium-labeled (a stable isotope) broccoli and alfalfa sprouts to study the absorption and metabolism of nutrients like vitamin K in the body, which helps in understanding how these nutrients are processed compared to their natural forms. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

Research Team

Emily Ho, PhD

Principal Investigator

Oregon State University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy men and women aged 18-60 who don't smoke or use tobacco, aren't pregnant, and haven't used antibiotics in the past 6 months. Participants must avoid certain foods and supplements before and during the study, have a BMI between 18.5 to 30, not exercise vigorously over 7 hours weekly, and be free of significant health issues.

Inclusion Criteria

Willing to stop cruciferous vegetable and probiotic supplement, food and beverage intake 1 week prior to and during the study

I am willing to stop taking herbal and plant-based supplements 1 week before and during the study.

Must be able to give written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant before completing the study

Your weight is either too low or too high based on your height.

I am taking medication to manage my cholesterol or fat absorption.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants consume a single serving of broccoli or alfalfa sprouts with a standardized breakfast

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in metabolic and molecular markers in blood and urine, and microbiome composition

72 hours

Multiple sample collections at 3, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-consumption

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Broccoli sprouts
• Deuterium oxide-labelled alfalfa sprouts
• Deuterium oxide-labelled broccoli sprouts

Trial Overview The study investigates how eating broccoli sprouts affects molecular profiles in blood, urine, and gut bacteria composition. It involves consuming either regular or specially labelled alfalfa or broccoli sprouts to track changes.

Participant Groups

Group I: Broccoli sprouts Active Control 1 Intervention

Subjects will consume one serving (about 1 cup) of broccoli sprouts with breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, and orange juice).

Group II: Deuterium oxide-labeled broccoli sprouts Active Control 1 Intervention

Subjects will consume one serving (about 1 cup) of deuterium oxide-labeled broccoli sprouts with breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, and orange juice).

Group III: Deuterium oxide-labeled alfalfa sprouts Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Subjects will consume one serving (about 1 cup) of deuterium oxide-labeled alfalfa sprouts with breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, and orange juice).

Group IV: Alfalfa sprouts Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Subjects will consume one serving (about 1 cup) of alfalfa sprouts with breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, and orange juice).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Oregon State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

51

Recruited

8,300+

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Collaborator

Trials

103

Recruited

287,000+

Findings from Research

The pilot study of a 4:1 ketogenic diet (KD) using a total meal replacement program for glioblastoma (GBM) patients showed that the diet was well tolerated, with mild and transient treatment-emergent adverse events, and 62.5% of participants completed the 6-month treatment.

Survival times were promising, with a mean of 20 months for newly diagnosed patients and 12.8 months for recurrent GBM patients after starting the KD, suggesting potential benefits, although the small sample size limits definitive conclusions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment of glioblastoma multiforme with "classic" 4:1 ketogenic diet total meal replacement. Klein, P., Tyrlikova, I., Zuccoli, G., et al.[2020]

Patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer are at risk for nutritional issues due to both their cancer and the treatment itself, which can be acute or chronic depending on the tumor location and irradiated areas.

Despite the common use of nutritional support during radiotherapy, current randomized trials indicate that routine nutritional intervention does not significantly improve treatment response, local control, survival rates, or reduce complications.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nutritional support as an adjunct to radiation therapy. Donaldson, SS.[2017]

Mice fed a diet containing 10% steamed broccoli sprouts showed protection against the harmful effects of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate, indicating a potential dietary strategy for managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The study highlights that colitis disrupts the normal bacterial communities in the gut, and suggests that dietary components like broccoli sprouts could help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, offering a promising approach for IBD prevention and recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Steamed broccoli sprouts alleviate DSS-induced inflammation and retain gut microbial biogeography in mice. Holman, JM., Colucci, L., Baudewyns, D., et al.[2023]

A low FODMAP diet was reported to be effective by 86% of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with significant improvements in symptoms like bloating (82%) and abdominal pain (71%).

Patients on the low FODMAP diet experienced a notable reduction in chronic disease courses and an increase in normal stool frequency, indicating that this dietary approach can lead to better management of bowel symptoms in both IBS and IBD patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Follow-up of patients with functional bowel symptoms treated with a low FODMAP diet. Maagaard, L., Ankersen, DV., Végh, Z., et al.[2022]

Mice fed a diet containing 10% steamed broccoli sprouts showed significant improvements in managing symptoms of ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate, including weight gain and lower levels of inflammatory markers.

The broccoli sprout diet helped maintain a diverse gut microbiota, counteracting the dysbiosis typically caused by colitis, suggesting that dietary interventions could be a promising and accessible strategy for managing Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Steamed broccoli sprouts alleviate DSS-induced inflammation and retain gut microbial biogeography in mice. Holman, JM., Colucci, L., Baudewyns, D., et al.[2023]

The inclusion of oats in a gluten-free diet for celiac disease patients may not be as safe as previously thought, as many clinical trials may have inadvertently exposed participants to gluten contamination from oats, leading to adverse reactions.

Analysis of 12 oat feeding studies revealed that expected gluten exposure levels could trigger clinical effects in many celiac patients, suggesting the need for new trials using higher-purity gluten-free oats to accurately assess oat safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oat safety for celiac disease patients: theoretical analysis correlates adverse symptoms in clinical studies to contaminated study oats. Fritz, RD., Chen, Y.[2019]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment of glioblastoma multiforme with "classic" 4:1 ketogenic diet total meal replacement. [2020]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overcoming difficulties in demonstrating health outcome benefits. [2017]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimal design of clinical outcome studies in nutrition and cancer: future directions. [2017]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ketogenic diets as an adjuvant therapy for glioblastoma (KEATING): a randomized, mixed methods, feasibility study. [2020]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nutritional support as an adjunct to radiation therapy. [2017]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Steamed broccoli sprouts alleviate DSS-induced inflammation and retain gut microbial biogeography in mice. [2023]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Follow-up of patients with functional bowel symptoms treated with a low FODMAP diet. [2022]

8. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patients' diets and preferences in a pediatric population with inflammatory bowel disease. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Steamed broccoli sprouts alleviate DSS-induced inflammation and retain gut microbial biogeography in mice. [2023]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oat safety for celiac disease patients: theoretical analysis correlates adverse symptoms in clinical studies to contaminated study oats. [2019]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

HPLC and GC/MS determination of deuterated vitamin K (phylloquinone) in human serum after ingestion of deuterium-labeled broccoli. [2019]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tritium levels in Chinese cabbage and radish plants acutely exposed to HTO vapor at different growth stages. [2006]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Body composition of lactating and dry Holstein cows estimated by deuterium dilution. [2015]

14. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

RETENTION OF ORGANICALLY BOUND DEUTERIUM IN GRASS PLANTS EXPOSED TO HEAVY WATER VAPOUR AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES. [2022]

15. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Influence of growing system on nitrate accumulation in two varieties of lettuce and red radicchio of Treviso. [2023]