Scientists hunt for hidden clues in hair and blood to track your diet
NCT ID NCT01237093
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 15, 2026 · Updated 12 times
Summary
This study aims to find better ways to measure what people eat by looking for biomarkers in blood, urine, hair, and fat. Fifty-nine healthy men will eat carefully controlled diets with different amounts of meat, fish, and soda for 12 weeks. Researchers will then check if changes in certain natural markers match the foods eaten. The goal is to develop a more reliable tool for nutrition research.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- controlled diets varying in meat, fish, and soda
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to more accurate ways to measure what people eat without relying on memory.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study in healthy men only, so results may not apply to women or people with health conditions.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
-
59 people
The number who actually took part.
- Start date
-
Oct 2010
- Finished
-
Mar 2020
- Lead sponsor
-
A government research agency
The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 65 years
- Sex
-
Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * Body mass index less than or equal to 35 kg/m(2) to minimize the impact of body size on isotope measurements. * Males 18-65 years old will be recruited for this study. Minors under the age of 18 will be excluded because the time requirements of the study are such that they would interfere with school schedules. Healthy, as determined by medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Current smoking * Female sex * Baldness or hair less than 2 cm in length * Medically- or self-imposed dietary restrictions that would limit a participant s ability/willingness to consume the diet to which they are randomized. * Type 2 diabetes (according to the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria) * Endocrine disorders (Cushing s Disease, pituitary disorders, and hypo- and hyperthyroidism) * Chronic pulmonary disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, that would limit ability to follow the protocol (investigator judgment) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome; only subjects with mild or exercise-induced asthma on no medications or on beta-adrenergic agonists only (such as albuterol) will be allowed to enter the study (provided use of these agents is not required for one week before study entry). * Cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and peripheral artery disease) * Hypertension (blood pressure measurement higher than 140/90 mm Hg on two or more occasions or use of anti-hypertensive medications) * Diagnosed gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., Crohn s disease and ulcerative colitis), malabsorption syndromes (e.g., celiac disease), gastric ulcer (active); only subjects with gastro-esophageal reflux will be allowed to enter the study * Presence of a pacemaker or other implantable devices * Liver disease (cirrhosis, active hepatitis B or C, and AST or ALT greater than or equal to 1.5 x normal) * Renal disease (serum creatinine concentrations greater than or equal to 1.5 mg/dl and/or greater than 100mg/dl of protein based on urine dipstick) * Central nervous system disease (cerebrovascular accidents, dementia, and neurodegenerative disorders) * Cancer requiring treatment in the past five years, except for non-melanoma skin cancers or cancers that have clearly been cured or in the opinion of the investigator carry an excellent prognosis * Alcohol (more than 3 drinks per day) and/or drug abuse (such as amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, or marijuana) * Current or past history of: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or presence of psychotic symptoms, bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa, or current major depressive disorder * Weight change of plus or minus 5% in the last 3 months Conditions not specifically mentioned above may serve as criteria for exclusion at the discretion of the investigators. Additionally, potential subjects might be excluded if they demonstrate a style of interpersonal relationships that would inhibit successful completion of the study. Non-English speaking subjects as a population will be excluded from participation in this protocol. One of the secondary hypotheses of the protocol relates to a battery of psychological questionnaires and performances tests which are administered to the volunteers at the beginning and end of the study. There are currently no validated, translated forms of these questionnaires and tests available; therefore we will restrict enrollment to English speaking subjects only.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Diet therapy are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
NIDDK, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona, 85014, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Scientists probe the nerve highways behind strength gains
- New syphilis test kits put to the test with donated blood
- Can a copy of a blockbuster arthritis drug match the original? scientists test it in healthy people
- Novo nordisk tests Brand-New molecule in humans for the first time
- New sedative candidate goes Head-to-Head with propofol in early human test
- Can a Room-Temperature dairy drink build muscle?