Burger Types for Inflammation
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial explores how different types of burgers affect inflammation and other compounds in the blood of middle-aged individuals. Participants will try grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef, and plant-based burgers on separate visits. The goal is to determine which type of burger has the least impact on inflammation. Individuals who are overweight or obese and have maintained a stable weight for 3 months might be a good fit.
As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding dietary impacts on health.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial requires that you stop taking medications that could affect the study's results, like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and corticosteroids, or those that increase risk, like anticoagulants, if they cannot be temporarily stopped for the study.
Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?
Research shows that different types of beef and plant-based burgers have varying safety levels. For grain-fed beef, no clear proof exists that it is safer than grass-fed beef. One study found both types had similar bacteria levels. An older study found that 18% of grain-fed beef samples contained "superbugs," bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Grass-fed beef has not been proven healthier than grain-fed beef, but it typically contains less fat and fewer calories. Studies have not shown that eating red meat directly causes inflammation, which involves swelling and pain in the body.
For the Impossible Burger, findings are mixed. The FDA has reviewed its main ingredient several times and deemed it safe to eat. However, some reports suggest possible risks, such as changes in weight gain and signs of inflammation. Concerns also exist that one ingredient, SLH, might cause allergies since people have not traditionally consumed it.
These findings present a mixed view of the safety of these burger types. Participants should consider these factors and their health conditions when deciding to join a trial.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about the Burger Types for Inflammation trial because it could reveal how different types of burgers affect inflammation in the body. Unlike current options that primarily focus on medication to manage inflammation, this trial explores dietary impacts, which could offer a more natural approach. By comparing grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef, and plant-based (Impossible Burger™) options, researchers aim to identify if any of these burger types can reduce inflammation more effectively or offer healthier alternatives. This could lead to a better understanding of how dietary choices impact inflammation, potentially shifting future recommendations for managing inflammatory conditions.
What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for inflammation?
This trial will compare the effects of different burger types on inflammation. Research has shown that grass-fed beef, which participants in some sequences of this trial will consume, contains healthier fats and more antioxidants than grain-fed beef, potentially reducing inflammation. Other sequences will include the Impossible Burger, a plant-based option. Studies find that diets rich in plant-based foods often link to lower inflammation, although some research suggests that switching to plant-based meats doesn't always improve inflammation. Each type of burger in this trial may affect inflammation differently, but evidence suggests possible benefits from both grass-fed beef and plant-based options.24678
Who Is on the Research Team?
Stephan van Vliet, PhD
Principal Investigator
Utah State University
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for overweight or obese adults aged 30-60 who have been weight stable in the past 3 months. Participants must not be heavy drinkers, pregnant, lactating, allergic to soy, smokers, or have certain health conditions like diabetes or heart failure. They should not be on medications affecting inflammation and can't have had a recent COVID vaccine.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Metabolic Testing
Participants consume different types of meat and plant-based alternatives, with blood and urine samples collected to assess inflammatory and metabolic responses.
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Grain-Fed Beef Hamburger
- Grass-Fed Beef Hamburger
- Impossible BurgerTM
Trial Overview
The study compares the effects of consuming a grain-fed beef hamburger, grass-fed beef hamburger, or an Impossible Burger on blood markers of inflammation and metabolism. Each participant will eat each type of burger on separate visits with blood samples taken before and after meals at specific intervals.
How Is the Trial Designed?
6
Treatment groups
Active Control
On the first visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed.
On the first visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed.
On the first visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed.
On the first visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed.
On the first visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed.
On the first visit, a grass-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the second visit, a grain-fed beef burger (250 grams) will be consumed. On the third visit, an Impossible BurgerTM (250 grams) will be consumed.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Utah State University
Lead Sponsor
Duke University
Collaborator
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Collaborator
Citations
A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass ...
Research spanning three decades suggests that grass-based diets can significantly improve the fatty acid (FA) composition and antioxidant content of beef.
Burger Types for Inflammation · Info for Participants
This trial studies how different types of meat (regular beef, grass-fed beef, plant-based burger) affect inflammation and health markers in overweight or obese ...
Postprandial amino acids and health markers from organic ...
This study investigates the impact of organic grass-fed (GRA) versus conventional (CON) cattle-feeding systems on human postprandial ...
4.
frontiersin.org
frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426/fullHealth-Promoting Phytonutrients Are Higher in Grass-Fed ...
Only a handful of studies have investigated the effects of grass-fed meat and dairy consumption on human health and show potential for anti-inflammatory effects ...
Higher Meat Intake Is Associated with Higher Inflammatory ...
Higher meat consumption, particularly of processed meat, was positively associated with inflammatory markers in these British adults.
Fatty Acid Composition of Grain- and Grass-Fed Beef ...
Grass-fed beef showed greater levels of trans-vaccenic acid and long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; EPA, DPA, DHA) than grain-fed beef.
7.
cidrap.umn.edu
cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/study-finds-no-clear-safety-advantage-grass-fed-beefStudy finds no clear safety advantage for grass-fed beef
A recent study of a modest sample of US retail beef products found little difference between the levels of bacteria in grass-fed and conventionally raised beef.
Grass-Fed Beef: Is It Good for You?
But a 2015 study that tested 300 packages of ground beef found that 18% of the grain-fed samples contained "superbugs" -- bacteria that are ...
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