Examining the Effects of Juice Fasting

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Epigenetics, Microbiome

In brief

This study tests the effectiveness of dietary interventions that have the possibility to improve markers of gut health and improve general well-being. This study will allow healthcare professionals to learn how dietary interventions involving fasting can affect health. Food is increasingly recognized as a core component of preventive and ameliorative health care. Juice fasting has quickly become one of the most popular self-prescribed dietary interventions in the United States. A wide variety of juice fasts are available in the popular market; a popular variation is the three-day juice fast. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of a three-day juice fast on certain markers of age-related disease and bio-markers of longevity. In particular, this study will assess certain epigenetic markers, which measure how the environment (including diet) can change the way that genes are expressed without changing the genes themselves. The study will also assess the microbiome, and inflammatory and glycemic markers.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT03647449
Run by: Northwestern University
People needed: 24
Starts: 2018-07-10
Expected to finish: 2019-12-31
Last updated by the study team: 2020-02-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 35. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Subjects considered as healthy by the investigator based on medical history and completion of the screening questionnaire.
Subjects who, according to the investigator, can and will comply with the requirements of the protocol and are available for all scheduled visits at the investigational site.
Healthy male or female aged between 18 and 35 (included) years
18.5 ≤BMI ≤ 30 kg/m²
Ability to give their informed consent in writing

You may not qualify if…

Documented history of previous cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease (CHD) (angina, myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization procedures or existence of abnormal Q waves in the electrocardiogram (EKG)), stroke, syncope, and clinical peripheral artery disease with symptoms of intermittent claudication.
Severe medical condition that may impair the ability of the person to participate in a nutrition intervention study (e.g. digestive disease with fat intolerance, advanced malignancy, or major neurological, psychiatric or endocrine disease including diabetes).
Daily use of any prescription or non-prescription medication that has a high likelihood of impacting systemic inflammation (e.g. non-steroidal anti inflammatories or steroids), blood sugar control (e.g. medication for diabetes) or the human microbiome (e.g. antibiotics).
Any other medical condition thought to limit survival to less than 1 year.
Known immunodeficiency disorder
Illegal drug use or chronic alcoholism or total daily alcohol intake >80 g/d.
Difficulties or major inconvenience to change dietary habits
Impossibility to follow an elimination or juice fast diet, for religious reasons or due to the presence of disorders of chewing or swallowing (e.g., difficulties to consume nuts)
A low predicted likelihood to change dietary habits according to the Prochaska and DiClemente stages of change model (Nigg, 1999).
History of food allergy with hypersensitivity to any of the components of the juice or diet
Patients with an acute infection or inflammation (e.g., pneumonia) are allowed to participate in the study 3 months after the resolution of their condition.
Dietary restrictions due to medical (including allergies), religious, or other concerns
Any diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, eczema, asthma, or inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. ulcerative colitis or Crohn's) from a health professional

Where it is running

Northwestern University — Chicago, Illinois, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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