Purpose

The purpose of this research study is to identify biomarkers of whole grain (WG) corn intake following an acute exposure in a pharmacokinetic (how the body absorbs, processes, and gets rid of a substance or ingredient) feeding study. In this aim, investigators will conduct a randomized crossover acute pharmacokinetic study of corn. Investigators will then use a targeted metabolomics approach to identify the exposure markers of corn intake, further develop analytical methods to study its pharmacokinetics, and build our in-house WG metabolite database and an untargeted metabolomics approach to investigate postprandial biomarkers of corn intake. At the completion of this study, our expectation is that investigators will identify corn phytochemicals and its metabolites as objective biomarkers of total and individual WG corn that are commonly consumed by Americans.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 25 Years and 70 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Adults aged 25-70 years - Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m² - Able to read, speak, and understand English - No known allergy or intolerance to the test foods - Normal blood and urine biochemical parameters - No antibiotic use within the past 6 months - Willing and able to comply with all study procedures, including dietary restrictions throughout the study period - No medical conditions or lifestyle factors that, in the opinion of the investigators, would interfere with the study objectives

Exclusion Criteria

  • Active disease, including gout, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, or endocrine disorders that may interfere with the study - Current smoker or use of tobacco products - Unwilling or unable to comply with the required dietary restrictions during the study period

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Crossover Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Whole-Grain Corn → Refined Corn
Participants will complete a 7-day wash-in period during which they will avoid consuming whole-grain products. During Pharmacokinetic (PK) Visit 1 (Day 8), participants will consume whole-grain corn. After a 6-day washout period, participants will cross over and consume refined corn during PK Visit 2 (Day 15). Blood and urine samples will be collected over 48 hours following each intervention.
  • Dietary Supplement: Whole-Grain Corn
    Participants will consume two servings of cooked whole-grain corn (46 g raw grain per serving; 92 g total) during the pharmacokinetic study visit.
  • Dietary Supplement: Refined Corn
    Participants will consume two servings of cooked refined corn (46 g raw grain per serving; 92 g total) during the pharmacokinetic study visit.
Experimental
Refined Corn → Whole-Grain Corn
Participants will complete a 7-day wash-in period during which they will avoid consuming whole-grain products. During Pharmacokinetic (PK) Visit 1 (Day 8), participants will consume refined corn. After a 6-day washout period, participants will cross over and consume whole-grain corn during PK Visit 2 (Day 15). Blood and urine samples will be collected over 48 hours following each intervention.
  • Dietary Supplement: Whole-Grain Corn
    Participants will consume two servings of cooked whole-grain corn (46 g raw grain per serving; 92 g total) during the pharmacokinetic study visit.
  • Dietary Supplement: Refined Corn
    Participants will consume two servings of cooked refined corn (46 g raw grain per serving; 92 g total) during the pharmacokinetic study visit.

Recruiting Locations

Clinical Research Core (CRC)
Kannapolis, North Carolina 28081
Contact:
Samantha Carroll
704-250-5083
crc_studies@unc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University

Study Contact

Shengmin Sang
704-250-5710
ssang@ncat.edu

Detailed Description

Days 0-7: Healthy volunteers were recruited and instructed to avoid consuming any whole-grain products beginning one week before the intervention and continuing throughout the study period. Day 8 - Pharmacokinetic (PK) Visit 1: Participants consumed two servings of either whole-grain or refined-grain (46 g of raw grain per serving; 92 g total). Blood and urine samples were collected at multiple time points over 48 hours, and baseline fecal samples were collected the day before the intervention. Day 15 - Pharmacokinetic (PK) Visit 2: After a 6-day washout period, participants crossed over to the alternate treatment. Blood and urine samples were again collected at multiple time points over 48 hours.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.