Provitamin A Absorption and Conversion With Avocados

Ohio State University24 enrolled

Overview

Vitamin A is necessary in the human diet. The form of vitamin A found in fruits and vegetables is not "active" and must be converted to the active form in the human body. However, information on the ability of humans to absorb and convert vitamin A to the active form is still lacking. In this study, the investigators will observe the absorption and conversion of vitamin A from orange tomato sauce and/or carrots after a meal with fat (from avocado fruit) and a meal without fat. The investigators will also test whether eating these foods might protect the blood against damage that could lead to heart disease.

The primary objective of this study will be to demonstrate that adding avocados to a carotene rich meal will promote the absorption of provitamin A carotenoids and enhance the delivery of greater quantities of vitamin A. This objective will be accomplished by quantitation of the immediate post-prandial plasma concentrations of parent carotenoids and vitamin A metabolites after subjects consume a meal with or without avocado in combination with a serving of tomato sauce (containing nutritionally relevant amounts of beta-carotene) or carrots. The secondary objective of this study will be to determine if higher levels of carotenoids and other antioxidants transported in the bloodstream will have a protective role in promoting cardiovascular health. This objective will be accomplished by testing the oxidation capacity of lipoprotein fractions before and after meal supplementation.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

Post-prandial Feeding StudyOTHER

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 70 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Total cholesterol (140 to 200 mg/dL) * BMI 17 to 30 * Age 18-70 years Exclusion Criteria: * Lactating, pregnant, or plan to be pregnant during study * Tobacco use (cigarettes or chewing tobacco) * Metabolic disease * Malabsorption disorders * History of cancer, esophageal, gastric, or intestinal ulcers * History of liver or kidney insufficiency or failure * Allergies to tomatoes or tomato products * Allergies to carrots * Allergies to avocados * Obesity (BMI\>30) * Hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol\> 200mg/dL)

Locations (1)

The Ohio State University Clinical Research Center

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Post-prandial levels of provitamin A and vitamin A

The absorption of and conversion of provitamin A carotenoids into vitamin A will be measured after the consumption of a carotenoid-rich meal. The meal will be served both with and without avocado as a source of lipid.

Time frame: Nine post-prandial blood samples will be taken over twelve hours

Secondary Outcomes

post-prandial antioxidant status of blood

The ability of a carotenoid-rich meal to reduce the susceptibility of blood lipoproteins to oxidative stress will be tested. A modified trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay will be used.

Time frame: comparing baseline vs. 5 hour status

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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