Pecan Nuts for Health Improvement

Overseen By Francene Steinberg, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Must not be taking: Antibiotics, Probiotics, Statins, others

Disqualifiers: Nut allergy, Dementia, Uncontrolled diabetes, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

40 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if eating pecan nuts can improve overall body metabolism, including factors like blood pressure, inflammation, and gut bacteria in adults aged 45 to 75. Participants will spend three months eating pecans daily and three months avoiding them, with a break in between. It suits those without nut allergies, who can follow diet instructions, and are willing to provide blood and stool samples. As an unphased study, this trial allows participants to contribute to valuable research on dietary impacts on health.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you use menopausal hormone replacement therapy, antibiotics, probiotics, or statin drugs. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

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

Research has shown that pecan nuts can be a healthy part of a diet and may help lower the risk of heart disease. However, for individuals with nut allergies, consuming pecans can trigger allergic reactions, sometimes severe, such as anaphylaxis—a serious condition. Therefore, those allergic to nuts should avoid pecans. For individuals without allergies, studies have not identified any major harmful effects from eating pecans. Overall, pecans are generally safe for most people when included in a balanced diet. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using pecan nuts for health improvement because they offer a natural, dietary approach that differs from conventional pharmaceuticals or supplements. Pecan nuts are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and essential vitamins, which may contribute to overall health benefits without the side effects often associated with standard medications. This treatment focuses on improving health through diet, emphasizing a holistic and accessible method that could be appealing to those seeking natural wellness solutions.

What evidence suggests that consuming pecan nuts could improve overall body metabolism?

This trial will evaluate the health benefits of pecan nuts. Participants will either add pecan nuts to their diet or follow a no-nut diet, then switch to the opposite regimen. Research has shown that pecan nuts can benefit health. Studies suggest that eating pecans may help lower blood pressure due to their high calcium, magnesium, and potassium content. They are also believed to support heart health and help control blood sugar levels. In animal studies, pecans or their extracts prevented fat buildup in the liver and helped manage cholesterol. Additionally, pecans might improve brain function and aid recovery after exercise. These findings suggest that adding pecans to a diet could benefit overall metabolism. ^{1 3 5 6}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy adults aged 45 to 75 who are interested in how pecan nuts might affect their body's metabolism, including blood lipids, inflammation markers, blood pressure, cognitive performance and gut bacteria. Participants must be willing to alter their diet by either including or avoiding pecan nuts during different phases of the study.

Inclusion Criteria

Ability to understand the intervention instructions

Willingness to follow the dietary intervention

Willingness to provide biological samples (blood and stool)

Exclusion Criteria

Allergy to pecan or other nuts

Vegetarian/vegan

I am using hormone replacement therapy for menopause.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 visit

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention Period 1

Participants will either include pecan nuts in their diet or avoid pecans for 3 months

3 months

2 visits (in-person)

Washout Period

Participants will have a break of 4-6 weeks between intervention periods

4-6 weeks

Intervention Period 2

Participants will switch to the opposite diet arm for another 3 months

3 months

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Pecan Nut

Trial Overview The study tests the effects of daily pecan nut consumption on adult metabolism over two separate periods totaling about seven months. Each participant will have one period eating pecans daily and another avoiding them entirely, with a break between these stages. The order in which they do this is decided randomly.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Pecan nut then no nut Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participant will add pecan nuts to their diet during the first intervention arm, then they will cross over to the no nut diet arm

Group II: No nut then pecan nut Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participant will consume a diet without nuts during the first intervention arm, then they will cross over to the arm where they will add pecan nuts to their diet.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Davis

Lead Sponsor

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10255614/

Pecans and Its Polyphenols Prevent Obesity, Hepatic ... These results indicate that whole pecans or a pecan polyphenol extract prevent hepatic steatosis, and increase cholesterol mobilization in mice fed an HF diet.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417304806

Pecan nuts: A review of reported bioactivities and health ... In this review, we summarize the available data indicating that pecan nuts exert similar health-promoting benefits.

3. webmd.com webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-pecans

Health Benefits of Pecans Pecans are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which help lower blood pressure. Most of the fat found in pecans is a healthy type called ...

4. news-medical.net news-medical.net/health/Pecans-and-Health-Evidence-from-Clinical-Studies.aspx

Pecans and Health: Evidence from Clinical Studies Pecans may support heart health, blood sugar control, brain function, and athletic recovery.

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5615425/

Safety studies conducted on pecan shell fiber, a food ... All animals survived and no adverse clinical signs or functional changes were attributable to the test material. There were no toxicologically relevant changes ...

6. aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/pecans-as-a-health-food/

Pecans as a Health Food - Aggie Horticulture Pecans can become an important health food because of their high level of monounsaturated fats. Dietary research with pecans needs to be conducted.