Wageningen

Researchers are investigating a vegan nutritional supplement containing caprylic acid and omega-3 fatty acids to see how it affects recovery from muscle-damaging exercise. The focus is on whether this supplement can reduce muscle damage and inflammation while speeding up recovery, which supports long-term muscle health and functional independence. This study explores a new nutritional approach that may aid healthy aging by improving muscle function. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the test drink with caprylic acid and omega-3 fatty acids or a control drink with a different fatty acid composition. Both groups will take their assigned supplement for seven days, with a muscle-damaging exercise performed on the fourth day. The study uses a single-blind design, and the intervention aims to compare the effects of these drinks on muscle recovery. During the study, participants muscle strength, fatigue, and soreness will be measured before and up to 72 hours after the damaging exercise using muscle dynamometry, electrical stimulation, and questionnaires. Blood samples will also be collected to assess changes in plasma creatine kinase, cholesterol, triglycerides, and beta-hydroxybutyrate levels. These evaluations will occur immediately before exercise and at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise to monitor recovery and the supplements impact on muscle health.

This observational study focuses on people living with endometriosis in Europe who are managing their condition on their own. Researchers want to understand how different support systems at personal, community, healthcare, and institutional levels affect feelings of empowerment or abandonment during self-management. The study aims to capture the real-life experiences of these individuals over time. Participants will share their everyday methods and actions for managing endometriosis through diary entries, interviews, and focus groups. There is no medical treatment or intervention tested in this study, as it purely collects qualitative data about participants experiences. The study spans from enrollment and continues up to four years during which participants take part in these activities. During the study, participants will describe their lived experiences with endometriosis using diaries, interviews, and focus group discussions. Researchers will gather detailed personal narratives to learn about self-management over time. The main outcome measured is the qualitative information from these stories, collected throughout the study period. This approach helps explore the impact of various support structures on participants empowerment and challenges in managing their condition.

This research aims to study the effects of short-term forearm immobilization on forearm muscle glucose uptake and amino acid metabolism in people with type 2 diabetes compared to those without diabetes. The goal is to understand how local physical inactivity impacts muscle metabolism in these two groups. The study is conducted by Wageningen University and focuses on basic science related to muscle and metabolic responses. Participants will undergo two days of forearm immobilization to create a model of local inactivity. During this time, standardized meals will be consumed, and muscle metabolism will be measured through arteriovenous balance assessments combined with stable isotope tracer infusions. These measurements will track muscle glucose uptake and amino acid balance, uptake, and release before, during, and after immobilization. Throughout the study, participants will have multiple assessments including blood sampling, muscle metabolism evaluations, and meal monitoring over a 48-hour period. Researchers will measure changes in forearm muscle glucose uptake and amino acid kinetics along with whole-body substrate oxidation at regular intervals. The total study duration includes the immobilization period and related metabolic assessments, with ongoing monitoring of muscle metabolic changes.

Researchers are studying how the body processes glucose after eating meals with different glycaemic levels in healthy adults who are either lean or have obesity. The study focuses on the polyol pathway, which converts glucose into sorbitol and fructose, to understand if this pathway is more active after high-glycaemic meals and in people with obesity. This research aims to clarify how glucose metabolism varies between lean and obese individuals and how meal types affect this process. Participants consume either a high-glycaemic or low-glycaemic breakfast depending on their group assignment, followed immediately by a small oral dose of 14C-labelled glucose to trace glucose metabolism. Lean individuals are randomly assigned to either meal type, while those with obesity all receive the high-glycaemic meal. The study uses advanced Accelerator Mass Spectrometry to track glucose through various metabolic pathways with very low radiation exposure. Measurements include indirect calorimetry, blood and breath sampling, as well as collection of urine and stool over 72 hours to assess glucose oxidation, conversion, and excretion. During the study, participants spend about 12 hours in the lab on the first day and have shorter morning visits on days 2 to 4 for ongoing sample collection and assessments. Researchers measure energy expenditure, carbohydrate and lipid oxidation, plasma glucose and insulin levels, and tissue-specific glucose uptake using blood flow and metabolite balance techniques. The primary outcome is the total recovery of 14C-labelled glucose over 72 hours, providing detailed insight into glucose metabolism differences between lean and obese adults. The study lasts about 3 days in total for each participant.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a dried multifiber vegetable product on bowel function and gut microbiota in adults aged 20 to 80 who are dissatisfied with their current bowel function. This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel, double-blind trial aims to understand whether this high-fiber dried vegetable can improve stool frequency, consistency, ease of defecation, feelings of incomplete bowel emptying, and overall bowel function satisfaction. The study also explores if these effects depend on the dose and how bowel function and gut microbiota adapt over time. Participants are randomly assigned to one of four groups three receive different doses of dried chicory root particles 5g, 10g, or 15g per day in two portions, and one group receives a placebo of rice puff particles. All are consumed twice daily with food for four weeks. The intervention product contains about 85% dietary fiber. The placebo matches the medium fiber doses calorie content. The study examines differences between the highest dose and placebo, as well as dose-dependent effects across groups. During the study, participants will undergo assessments of bowel function through stool frequency, consistency, ease of defecation, feelings of incomplete emptying, and satisfaction. Researchers will also analyze stool samples to study gut microbiota composition and activity. Questionnaires on quality of life and constipation symptoms are included. The main outcomes focus on changes after four weeks of intervention. Participants adherence and safety will be monitored throughout the study period, which lasts four weeks from intervention start to completion.

This research aims to explore how repeated daily intake of fats from the same source affects the bodys immune response after eating, focusing on healthy adults aged 40 to 70 with a normal to slightly overweight body mass index. The study investigates how different fats, specifically those from plant and dairy sources, influence inflammation markers like IL-6 in the blood, a key indicator of immune system activity after meals. This is important because ongoing inflammation triggered by diet may contribute to diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. Participants will follow a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design where they consume high-fat shakes made from either dairy or plant lipids. Each intervention lasts four weeks, during which participants drink a breakfast shake daily containing the assigned fat type. Test days occur before and after each intervention, involving blood sampling over six hours after consuming a large high-fat shake. Between interventions, washout periods of two weeks to three months allow the body to reset before switching fat sources. During the study, participants will have blood drawn via a catheter for detailed immune and metabolic testing, including IL-6 levels, other inflammatory proteins, glucose, and lipid profiles. Glucose is monitored continuously with sensors, and body composition is assessed with DXA scans at key points. Researchers will analyze how immune cells and inflammation markers respond over time and after repeated fat exposure. The entire study involves multiple visits, measurements, and monitoring to understand the timing and magnitude of the bodys response to different dietary fats.

Researchers are studying the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners NNS on glucose regulation, gut microbiome, and gut hormone secretion in healthy adults aged 45 to 79. The study aims to clarify how NNS impact blood sugar control and other related bodily functions, using a fully controlled dietary intervention to reflect real-life intake conditions. Secondary goals include examining sweet taste sensitivity, preference, and the excretion of NNS in urine and saliva. Participants will follow two different diets in a crossover design one diet includes a mixture of six non-nutritive sweeteners, and the other diet contains no NNS. Each diet period lasts 8 weeks, starting with a 2-week run-in followed by 6 weeks of intervention, separated by a washout period of over 6 weeks. The sweeteners studied include acesulfame-K, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, sucralose, and rebaudioside A stevia. During the study, participants will spend about 85 hours involved, visiting the research facility 38 times over more than six months. They will undergo blood draws, glucose tolerance tests, DEXA scans involving minimal radiation, collection of stool and urine samples, and wear devices to monitor activity and glucose continuously. Researchers will measure blood glucose changes, insulin response, gut microbiota changes, taste sensitivity, and sweetener excretion to understand the effects of NNS on health.

Researchers are investigating how personalized diets, tailored to unique metabolic profiles called Metabotypes, can help people with overweight and obesity better manage blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of chronic metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The study aims to compare this precision nutrition approach with standard population-based dietary guidelines to see if it improves blood sugar control, dietary adherence, and mental well-being. This project will help develop targeted dietary strategies for individuals at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted at two centers involving 240 men and women aged 40 to 75 years with a BMI between 25 and 40 kgm2. Participants are classified into one of three Metabotype groups using a computer algorithm based on their body composition and glucose and insulin metabolism. They are randomly assigned to either a Precision Nutrition PN group, which receives a diet optimized for their specific Metabotype, or a Control CN group, which receives a diet designed for a different Metabotype. Both diets follow Dutch healthy dietary guidelines but differ in macronutrient composition and quality. The intervention lasts 12 months, with regular dietary consultations and meal plans provided. Participants will undergo extensive assessments before, during, and after the intervention, including a 7-point oral glucose tolerance test to measure insulin sensitivity Matsuda index, blood sugar levels, lipid profiles, body composition, blood pressure, gene and protein expression in fat tissue, gut microbiome analysis, metabolomics, physical activity, and mental health evaluations. Dietary adherence and quality of life are also monitored continuously. This comprehensive evaluation will help determine if the personalized dietary approach improves glucose regulation and overall cardiometabolic health over the 12-month period.

Researchers are studying the effects of whole-body neuromuscular electrical stimulation NMES, with or without protein intake, on muscle protein synthesis, muscle mass, and function during 3 days of bed rest in healthy young adults aged 18 to 35 years. The trial aims to answer whether NMES followed by protein intake improves muscle protein synthesis rates and whether repeated NMES sessions protect muscle mass and function during inactivity. This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial will compare sham stimulation, NMES alone, and NMES combined with protein intake to see which approach best supports muscle preservation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups a control group receiving sham NMES and standard nutrition, an NMES group receiving whole-body NMES with standard nutrition, and an NMES plus protein group receiving NMES followed by a 20-gram protein bolus. The study includes 3 days of strict bed rest to simulate muscle disuse, with NMES sessions applied throughout. Protein intake is timed after NMES in the combined group. The trial also uses heavy water D2O to track muscle protein turnover and includes muscle biopsies to measure synthesis at the molecular level. During the study, participants will have muscle function tested with leg extension exercises and muscle thickness measured by ultrasound. Researchers will also monitor calf circumference for muscle mass changes and collect saliva and blood samples to analyze protein metabolism markers. The main outcome is the cumulative muscle protein synthesis rate during different phases of the study. Secondary outcomes include changes in muscle thickness, body composition, muscle strength, and nitrogen balance. The trial will run until 2027, with close monitoring throughout the bed rest period.

Researchers are studying people with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition caused by mutations in certain DNA mismatch repair genes such as MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, or EPCAM. This condition raises the risk of several cancers, especially colorectal and endometrial cancer. The GEOLynch cohort study aims to understand how genetic, environmental, and other factors influence tumor risk in these individuals. Participants provide detailed information through questionnaires about their diet, supplement use, physical activity, weight, height, and medication. Initially, participants gave buccal swabs for DNA analysis, but since 2012 new participants donate blood samples, which are stored for future research. Medical records and pathology reports are regularly reviewed about every two years to track tumor diagnoses and colonoscopy results. Participants are involved in ongoing follow-up, including repeated questionnaires and sample donations for biomarker and genetic analyses. The study measures colorectal, endometrial, and overall cancer diagnoses by reviewing medical documentation approximately every two years. This long-term observation helps researchers calculate risks and understand how different factors affect tumor development in people with Lynch syndrome.