Effects of Antioxidants on Cardiovascular Risk Measures (Spice Study)

Penn State University32 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to assess whether feeding highly antioxidant spices of providing these same antioxidants as capsules is able to affect cardiovascular risk measures. Because this is a new area of research, the investigators will use many measures to assess this question including blood markers, tests of blood vessel health, measures of blood pressure responses, measures of clotting activity, and other inflammation measures.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Cardiovascular Psychological Stress

Interventions

High Antioxidant Spice BlendDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

14.5 g spice blend incorporated into a delivery meal including: cloves, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, ginger, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric.

Trier Psychological StressorBEHAVIORAL

This is a psychological stressor that is used to invoked stress responses in human subjects. Subjects are told they are taped and evaluated and deliver the speech in front of a trained panel of judges.

Placebo antioxidant concentrateOTHER

Placebo capsules

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 30 YearsMax age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 30-65 * BMI 25-40 * Non tobacco user * Resting BP \< 160/100 * Fasting Glucose \< 126 mg/dL Exclusion Criteria: * Tobacco use * Use of female hormones * Breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant during the study * Use of lipid-lowering or blood pressure medications * Chronic Inflammatory Disease or osteoarthritis requiring regular use of medication * Chronic use of any form of anti-inflammatory or anti-psychotic drugs * Use of daily aspirin or supplements (except stable dose of calcium) * History of heart attack or stroke, renal or hepatic disease, implanted medical devices, gastrointestinal disease * Allergy or intolerance to any study foods * Injury to fingers or arms that would interfere with vascular and blood pressure measurements * Inability to comply with study protocol * Allergy to adhesives or latex * Aerobic exercise exceeding 2 hours per week

Locations (1)

Penn State GCRC

University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

IL-6 response to psychological stress at time points equal to and greater than 90 minutes post task

Time frame: At baseline and intervals up to 2 hours following the stressor and 3.5 hours following the meal

Secondary Outcomes

Serum/plasma changes in antioxidant activity and their relationship to inflammation outcomes

Time frame: At baseline and intervals up to 2 hours following the stressor and 3.5 hours following the meal

Endothelial function measured by endopat

Time frame: At baseline and 3.5 hours following the meal

Platelet function measured by PFA-100

Time frame: At baseline and specified intervals up to 2 hours following the stressor and 3.5 hours following the meal

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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