Walnuts for Aging

Overseen By Sandra Uesugi, RN, BSN, MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Oregon State University

Must not be taking: Insulin, Opioids, Anti-seizure, Psychotropics

Disqualifiers: Cancer, Heart disease, Liver disease, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 12 weeks

80 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if eating a small amount of walnuts daily for 12 weeks can enhance brain function, reduce inflammation, and improve gut health in older adults. Participants will consume either walnuts or a similar amount of crackers to compare effects. Ideal candidates are individuals aged 55 or older who are generally healthy, can follow simple dietary guidelines, and are willing to avoid certain nuts and berries during the study. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to contribute to valuable research on dietary impacts on health.

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 regularly use insulin, opioids, anti-seizure medications, or certain psychotropic medications. You also need to stop probiotic supplements 2 weeks before and during the study.

Is there any evidence suggesting that daily consumption of walnuts is safe for healthy adults?

Research has shown that walnuts are generally safe to eat. Studies have linked walnut consumption to many health benefits without major side effects. For example, one study found that older adults who included walnuts in their diet for two years experienced no negative effects on bone health. Another study found that regularly eating walnuts might help delay age-related diseases, such as heart disease, without causing harm. Overall, walnuts appear to be well-tolerated by healthy adults. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike standard treatments for aging, which often involve medication or topical products, this new approach uses walnuts as a natural dietary addition. Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which may help combat oxidative stress and inflammation, two key players in the aging process. Researchers are excited because this method not only promotes a simple and delicious dietary change but also offers a holistic way of supporting overall health as we age.

What evidence suggests that walnuts might be an effective treatment for aging?

This trial will compare the effects of daily walnut consumption with a control group consuming non-whole grain crackers. Studies have shown that walnuts might slow health problems associated with aging. Eating walnuts has been linked to reduced stress and inflammation, both of which can lead to memory and thinking issues. Research also shows that consuming nuts, such as walnuts, can lower the risk of heart disease by 15%. While some studies have examined long-term benefits, the short-term effects on memory and thinking, such as over 12 weeks, remain less clear. However, overall evidence suggests a positive impact on health as people age. ^{3 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Emily Ho, PhD

Principal Investigator

Oregon State University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy adults aged 55 and older who are interested in seeing if eating walnuts daily for 12 weeks can improve brain function, reduce inflammation, and affect gut bacteria. Specific eligibility criteria details were not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

Willing to stop consuming almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, persimmons and pomegranates for 14 weeks - are nuts or contain ellagitannins or ellagic acid - compounds/foods of interest for this study

Willing to limit oak aged wines and spirits to 1 serving/day and limit blackberries (including similar berries like boysenberries, marionberries, and olallieberries), cloudberries, cranberries, currants, elderberries, lingonberries, raspberries, strawberries, wolfberries, other native berries; guava, mango, muscadine grapes, nectarines, peaches, plums, pluots to 1 cup/day for 14 weeks; REMAIN CONSISTENT (consistent intake levels of): Coffee, tea, apple, apricots, blueberries, cherries, grapes (table/common)

Able to see well enough to read and respond to printed instructions and fill out questionnaires (corrective lenses are allowed)

Exclusion Criteria

I have been taking oral anti-inflammatory medications regularly for the last month.

Nut, wheat, or gluten allergy/intolerance

Consumption of walnuts, pecans, and chestnuts combined greater than 2 oz / week in the past 3 months

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants consume either 1.5 ounces of walnuts or caloric equivalent crackers daily for 12 weeks

12 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Walnuts

Trial Overview

Participants will consume either walnuts or crackers every day for three months. The study aims to see how these foods impact cognitive abilities, signs of aging and inflammation, as well as the diversity of gut microbes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Walnuts Active Control 1 Intervention

Daily consumption of 1.5 ounces (42.5 g) of plain walnuts for 12 weeks

Group II: Crackers Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Daily consumption of non-whole grain crackers for 12 weeks (caloric equivalent to 1.5 ounces of plain walnuts)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Oregon State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

51

Recruited

8,300+

California Walnut Commission

Collaborator

Trials

25

Recruited

36,700+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Aged rats fed a moderate walnut diet (2% and 6%) for 8 weeks showed improved motor skills, particularly in tasks like rod walking and medium plank walking, indicating that walnuts can enhance motor performance.

All walnut diets improved working memory in cognitive tests, but the highest dose (9%) led to impaired reference memory, suggesting that while walnuts can be beneficial, too much may have negative effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dose-dependent effects of walnuts on motor and cognitive function in aged rats. Willis, LM., Shukitt-Hale, B., Cheng, V., et al.[2009]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5222811/

The Walnuts and Healthy Aging Study (WAHA)

The results might provide high-level evidence of the benefit of regular walnut consumption on delaying the onset of age-related degenerative diseases. The ...

2.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522010413

Effect of a 2-year diet intervention with walnuts on cognitive ...

Walnut consumption counteracts oxidative stress and inflammation, 2 drivers of cognitive decline. Clinical data concerning effects on cognition are lacking.

3.

ahajournals.org

ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051

Effects of Walnut Consumption for 2 Years on Lipoprotein ...

Frequent consumption of nuts, an important component of plant-based diets, is associated with 15% lower total cardiovascular disease (CVD) ...

4.

sph.umn.edu

sph.umn.edu/news/study-suggests-walnuts-are-bridge-to-better-health-as-we-age/

Study suggests walnuts are bridge to better health as we age

Study suggests walnuts are bridge to better health as we age · Walnut consumers had higher self-reported physical activity scores than other nut ...

5.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38818857/

Effects of walnut consumption for 2 years on older adults ...

Conclusions: Compared with the usual diet, a diet enriched with walnuts at 15% of energy for 2 years failed to improve BMD or circulating ...

6.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9732668/

Walnut consumption and health outcomes with public health ...

In the PREDIMED study (examined as an observational cohort), subjects who consumed >3 servings of walnuts/week at baseline had a lower risk of cardiovascular ...

7.

walnuts.org

walnuts.org/blog/walnut-community/diet-aging-and-quality-of-life-the-case-for-walnuts/

Diet, Aging and Quality of Life – The Case for Walnuts

Researchers noted that every increase of 0.5 servings of walnut per day was linked with lower risk of death from heart diseases overall (HR: ...

8.

agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.19007

Effects of walnut consumption for 2 years on older adults' bone ...

A diet enriched with walnuts at 15% of energy for 2 years had no effect on bone mineral density in healthy older people. Why does this paper ...