Early Life Thiamine Study

August 27, 2026 updated by: Kyly Whitfield, Mount Saint Vincent University

Early Life Thiamine Supplementation for Infant Neurocognitive Benefits: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an important nutrient needed for energy metabolism, brain development, and overall health. However, low thiamine intake is a concern in countries where white rice is the main staple since it contains little thiamine. If pregnant or breastfeeding women do not eat enough thiamine, their babies may also become deficient. Severe thiamine deficiency can cause beriberi, which can be life-threatening. Milder deficiency during early life may affect brain development.

Healthy pregnant women should eat 1.4 mg thiamine daily. In a previous study in rural Cambodia, study investigators found that giving breastfeeding mothers a higher dose of thiamine (10mg per day) improved their infants' brain development at six months of age. However, supplementation began two weeks after birth. Since much of an infant's brain development occurs in utero, starting mother's supplementation earlier - in pregnancy - may provide greater benefits.

Study investigators are now conducting a study with pregnant women in Cambodia. Participants will receive either the usual amount of thiamine found in multiple micronutrient supplements or a higher dose, beginning in pregnancy and continuing until their child is 18 months old. The primary outcome is cognition at 18 months, to see whether higher thiamine intake during pregnancy and early childhood leads to measurable improvements in early brain development.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Please see attached study protocol for full details.

Background:

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential micronutrient crucial for normal physiological functioning and healthy child development. Thiamine requirements increase with carbohydrate-rich diets (e.g. white rice) and during periods of high metabolism (e.g. perinatal women, infancy). The limited data available show that the prevalence of thiamine deficiency is high in women of childbearing age and their infants in several low- and middle-income settings, notably in South and Southeast Asia, where white rice is the dietary staple, but also in several African countries. Thiamine-deficient pregnant and lactating women produce breastmilk low in thiamine, putting their breastfed infants at risk of deficiency, and potentially fatal beriberi. In addition, recent evidence suggests that sub-clinical thiamine deficiency may be conferred prenatally, placing millions of infants at risk of neurocognitive deficits, undercutting life-long well-being and productivity.

Preliminary Data:

In coordination with the Cambodian Ministry of Health, study investigators undertook a four-parallel-arm, randomized, controlled trial (NCT03616288) in rural Cambodia to estimate the dose of maternal thiamine required postpartum to optimize breastmilk thiamine concentrations; secondary exploratory outcomes included neurocognitive assessments. Mothers were randomized to consume 0, 1.2, 2.4, or 10 mg daily thiamine from 2 weeks through 6 months postnatal. While milk thiamine concentrations were significantly higher in all thiamine groups compared to placebo, critically, at 6 months postnatal, only infants in the 10 mg/d group showed robust neurocognitive benefits. Additionally, infants whose mothers had higher milk thiamine concentrations at our pre-supplementation baseline (2 weeks postpartum) showed significantly improved neurocognitive outcomes at 6 months postnatal, suggesting that infants' prenatal access to adequate thiamine may have critical benefits for neurocognitive development.

Research Gap:

The prior trial indicated that 10 mg/d maternal thiamine supplementation, higher than current recommendations, was needed to support infant neurocognitive development in several domains. However, supplementation started at 2 weeks postpartum. Given how much foundational neurodevelopment occurs from conception through infancy, earlier and longer thiamine supplementation -- starting in pregnancy and maintained through 18 months postnatal -- is likely to further support neurocognitive development.

Design:

This will be a two parallel-arm, double-blind randomized controlled trial to compare the standard dose of thiamine in multiple micronutrient supplements throughout the perinatal and early childhood periods to a higher thiamine dose. Our primary outcome is infant neurocognitive development (Mullen Scales of Early Learning Early Learning Composite, MSEL-ELC) at 18 months postnatal. Secondary neurocognitive outcomes include the MSEL sub-scales, Global Scales of Early Development (GSED), and Visual Paired-Comparison Task (VPC), at 18 months postnatal.

Sample Size:

To detect a mean difference in 3 points in MSEL scores with 90% power (d=0.16, two-tailed α=0.05), and accounting for 20% losses, this study will require N=1,972 participants, 986 per group, to detect the main effect on the primary outcome, MSEL-ELC, at 18 months postnatal.

Statistical Analysis for Primary Outcome:

Scores on MSEL-ELC at 18 months will be compared between groups using a linear-regression model, with adjustment for health center, gestational age at enrolment, and birth anthropometry, and using generalized estimating equations with an independence working-correlation structure to account for multiple births. The effect of treatment will be described as a mean difference with a 95% CI. In all analyses, missing outcome data will be addressed using multiple imputation, performed separately by randomized group using chained equations. Outcomes will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1972

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • 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 Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Cambodia
      • Kampong Thom, Cambodia
        • Recruiting
        • Community-based study
        • Contact:
          • Hou Kroeun, Country Director, Helen Keller International
          • Phone Number: +855 10 467 297
          • Email: hkroeun@hki.org

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

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

This community-based trial will take place in villages throughout Kampong Thom province, Cambodia. Using convenience sampling, pregnant women (either primi- or multi-gravida) will be recruited from antenatal care programs within local health centers in Kampong Thom province.

Inclusion Criteria:

  • women aged 18-45 years
  • 12(+0) to 15(+6) weeks pregnant, based on last menstrual period
  • planning to breastfeed for at least 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • consumed thiamine-containing supplements in the preceding 3 months
  • planning on moving out of province in the next year

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Standard of Care +
multiple micronutrient supplement formulations containing the RNI for thiamine: 1.4 mg/d for pregnant/lactating women (from 12-16 weeks pregnancy through 6 months postnatal), and 0.5 mg/d for children (6-18 months postnatal)
Dietary supplement: Multiple micronutrient supplementation

Standard of Care+ group

From 12-16 weeks gestation through to 6 months postnatal, women will consume tablets orally. Starting at 6 months postnatal, supplements will then be administered directly to infants as daily liquid supplement drops.

Details of supplement contents are found in the full protocol. Multiple micronutrient supplements will include the standard 15 micronutrients included in the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMAPP MMS) formulation, which are the same found in standard micronutrient powders designed for children 6-24 months: thiamine, as well as vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper.

"Standard of Care +" and "High thiamine MMS" groups will take supplements that are identical except for thiamine content.

Women: 1.4 mg thiamine Children: 0.5 mg thiamine

Dietary supplement: Multiple micronutrient supplementation

High thiamine MMS group

From 12-16 weeks gestation through to 6 months postnatal, women will consume tablets orally. Starting at 6 months postnatal, supplements will then be administered directly to infants as daily liquid supplement drops.

Details of supplement contents are found in the full protocol. Multiple micronutrient supplements will include the standard 15 micronutrients included in the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMAPP MMS) formulation, which are the same found in standard micronutrient powders designed for children 6-24 months: thiamine, as well as vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper.

"Standard of Care +" and "High thiamine MMS" groups will take supplements that are identical except for thiamine content.

Women: 10 mg thiamine Children: 5 mg thiamine
Experimental: High-thiamine MMS
multiple micronutrient supplement formulations containing a higher dose of daily thiamine: 10 mg/d for pregnant/lactating women (12-16 weeks pregnancy through 6 months postnatal), and 5 mg/d for children (6-18 months postnatal)
Dietary supplement: Multiple micronutrient supplementation

Standard of Care+ group

From 12-16 weeks gestation through to 6 months postnatal, women will consume tablets orally. Starting at 6 months postnatal, supplements will then be administered directly to infants as daily liquid supplement drops.

Details of supplement contents are found in the full protocol. Multiple micronutrient supplements will include the standard 15 micronutrients included in the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMAPP MMS) formulation, which are the same found in standard micronutrient powders designed for children 6-24 months: thiamine, as well as vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper.

"Standard of Care +" and "High thiamine MMS" groups will take supplements that are identical except for thiamine content.

Women: 1.4 mg thiamine Children: 0.5 mg thiamine

Dietary supplement: Multiple micronutrient supplementation

High thiamine MMS group

From 12-16 weeks gestation through to 6 months postnatal, women will consume tablets orally. Starting at 6 months postnatal, supplements will then be administered directly to infants as daily liquid supplement drops.

Details of supplement contents are found in the full protocol. Multiple micronutrient supplements will include the standard 15 micronutrients included in the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMAPP MMS) formulation, which are the same found in standard micronutrient powders designed for children 6-24 months: thiamine, as well as vitamins A, D, E, K, C, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper.

"Standard of Care +" and "High thiamine MMS" groups will take supplements that are identical except for thiamine content.

Women: 10 mg thiamine Children: 5 mg thiamine

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mullen's Scales of Early Learning "Early Learning Composite" T-score (MSEL-ELC)
Time Frame: 18 months postnatal

Early Learning Composite (ELC) Standard Score is derived from the sum of the age adjusted T-scores for all but the Gross Motor scales:

ELC Standard Score = Visual Reception T-Score + Fine Motor T-Score + Receptive Language T-Score + Expressive Language T-Score

ELC Standard Score Mean = 100 ELC Standard Score SD = 15 ELC Standard Score Range (Min/Max) = 49 to 155
18 months postnatal

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mullen's Scales of Early Learning "Early Learning Composite" T-score (MSEL-ELC)
Time Frame: 2 weeks and 6 months postnatal

Early Learning Composite (ELC) Standard Score is derived from the sum of the age adjusted T-scores for all but the Gross Motor scales:

ELC Standard Score = Visual Reception T-Score + Fine Motor T-Score + Receptive Language T-Score + Expressive Language T-Score

ELC Standard Score Mean = 100 ELC Standard Score SD = 15 ELC Standard Score Range (Min/Max) = 49 to 155
2 weeks and 6 months postnatal
Mullen's Scales of Early Learning sub-scales
Time Frame: 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal

The five MSEL sub-scales are: Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Visual Reception, Receptive Language, and Expressive Language.

Minimum and maximum values (Raw Scores) Gross Motor: 0 to 36 Visual Reception: 0 to 50 Fine Motor: 0 to 49 Receptive Language: 0 to 48 Expressive Language: 0 to 50

Age adjusted T-Scores are derived from the raw scores for each scale and range from:

Min = 20 Max = 80 Mean T-Score = 50 (SD = 10)
2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal
Global Scales of Early Development (GSED)
Time Frame: 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal
Caregiver-report. World Health Organization published scoring guide available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/366272/WHO-MSD-GSEDpackage-v1.0-2023.8-eng.pdf
2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal
Visual Paired-Comparison (VPC) Task
Time Frame: 18 months postnatal
18 months postnatal
Erythrocyte transketolase activity coefficient (ETKac)
Time Frame: enrolment, 6 and 18 months
ETKac is a functional measure of thiamine status. ETKac will be assessed in a sub-sample of n=210 participants. Venous blood will be collected from mothers at baseline (12-16 weeks gestation) and their children at 6 months and 18 months postnatal.
enrolment, 6 and 18 months
Human milk thiamine concentrations
Time Frame: 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal
Human milk thiamine concentrations will be assessed in a sub-sample of n=210 participants. Full breast expressions will be collected from mothers at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal.
2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months postnatal

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Mount Saint Vincent University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University of Oregon
Helen Keller International
NCHADS - Ministry of Health of Cambodia
Flinders University
Factors Group of Nutritional Companies Inc.
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)
Weiss Asset Management Foundation

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)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 19, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MSVU-REB-2025-234

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Data will be stored in a repository, and will be made available upon request pending application and approval of the PI.

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.

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