Impact of Sex in the Effect of Dietary Capsaicin on Cardiovascular Health

July 8, 2024 updated by: Skidmore College

Impact of Sex in the Effect of Dietary Capsaicin on Cardiovascular Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The investigators long-term goal is to better understand novel interventions to promote cardiovascular health in humans. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate whether there is sex-specificity in the effects of dietary capsaicin on mechanisms regulating nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, its effect on key markers of cardiovascular (CV) health, including BP, macro- and microvascular function, and arterial stiffness. This knowledge will provide critical insight into the effects of dietary capsaicin on CV health and will guide future trials.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Specific Aim 1: Determine the sex-specific effects of dietary capsaicin on central and peripheral blood pressure and arterial stiffness. The investigators hypothesize that dietary capsaicin intervention (6 week) will improve BP and arterial stiffness, likely in a sex-dependent manner. The investigators will measure heart rate variability and excretion of capsaicin and metabolites to ascertain bioavailability, and understand the mechanistic role of the autonomic nervous system, in capsaicin's effect on BP.

Specific Aim 2: Assess whether dietary capsaicin effects on vascular function is sex-specific. The investigators hypothesize that dietary capsaicin intervention (6 week) will improve NO bioavailability, through improved redox balance and lowered asymmetric dimethylarginine, thereby improving peripheral vascular function, likely in a sex-dependent manner.

Utilizing a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, design the investigators will investigate whether there is sex-specificity in the effects of a 6-week dietary capsaicin intervention on nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, BP, vascular function, and arterial stiffness.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

80

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

    • New York
      • Saratoga Springs, New York, United States, 12866
        • Recruiting
        • Skidmore College
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • relatively healthy (other than elevated blood pressure) non-smoking men and women over the age of 18 from the local community

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women who are without a period (not due to a birth control method, intrauterine device or menopause), are pregnant, attempting to conceive, or are breastfeeding will be excluded.
  • uncontrolled hypertension
  • Anyone with severe illness or compromised or suppressed immune system (e.g. taking immune suppressants, chronic viral infection or treatment).
  • Any participants with excessive sensitivity to spicy foods or fiber (psyllium husk) will be excluded
  • Participants with food allergies will be excluded
  • Participants who have difficulty swallowing or swallowing pills may be excluded.
  • Participants who suffer from heartburn, hiatal hernia, gastritis, or peptic ulcer disease may be excluded.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
The placebo will be 2 x 400-500 mg fiber (800 mg psyllium husk) capsules which were chosen to be of similar appearance (size, coloration, and texture).
Daily doses of dietary capsaicin or placebo in capsule form
Experimental: Dietary Capsaicin
Over-the-counter dose of 2 x 440 mg capsules (880 mg, Capsicum Pepper Blend, Daily Manufacturing, Rockwell, North Carolina, USA)
Daily doses of dietary capsaicin or placebo in capsule form

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood Pressure and Vascular Stiffness
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will assess peripheral and estimated central blood pressures and vascular stiffness using pulse wave analysis.
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
Heart Rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV)
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will assess HR and HRV using electrocardiogram and standard techniques to determine time and frequency domain estimates of HRV.
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
Flow Mediated Dilation
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will assess brachial artery flow-mediated dilation using ischemia-reperfusion and ultrasound doppler to assess the dilatory capacity and reactive hyperemia.
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
Passive Leg Movement Hyperemia
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will assess the hyperemic response to passive leg movement using ultrasound doppler.
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Vascular Occlusion Test
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will assess the metabolic capacity and vascular reactivity using ischemia-reperfusion and NIRS
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Urinary Capsaicinoids
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
The investigators will collect urine to determine urinary capsaicin and associated metabolites to understand bioavailability and potential relation to function.
Baseline, 24 hours, and 6-weeks
Blood Lipids
Time Frame: Baseline and 6-weeks
The investigators will collect blood to determine blood lipids (cholesterol) and glucose.
Baseline and 6-weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

July 8, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 9, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 9, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

April 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 10, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 8, 2024

Last Verified

July 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2402-1139

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Only deidentified data may be shared with the sponsor or research community through appropriate data repositories.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Hypertension

Clinical Trials on Dietary capsules

Search Similar Trials