Could potato starch help liver patients think clearly?

NCT ID NCT06425380

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Mayo Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study at Mayo Clinic is testing whether a dietary supplement called resistant potato starch can change gut bacteria in people with cirrhosis who have had episodes of confusion (hepatic encephalopathy). Eleven participants will take 20 grams of potato starch twice daily for 4 weeks. Researchers will measure changes in stool short-chain fatty acids and a simple animal-naming test to see if the starch affects brain function.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Resistant potato starch (Bob's Red Mill® potato starch)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple dietary supplement to help manage hepatic encephalopathy by improving gut health.
What could go wrong: This is a very small pilot study with only 11 people and no placebo group. It is designed to see if the starch changes gut bacteria, not to prove it treats symptoms. Results may not lead to a treatment.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cirrhosis of liver Fibrosis hepatic encephalopathy

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

CIRRHOSIS HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Mayo Clinic
RECRUITING

Rochester, Minnesota, 55902, United States
Mayo Clinic
RECRUITING

Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

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