Zinc and Iron Bioavailability From Biofortified Pearl Millet

April 26, 2016 updated by: University of Colorado, Denver

Zinc and Iron Bioavailability From Bio-fortified Pearl Millet

Populations who consume non-fortified plant-based diets are at increased risk of iron and zinc deficiencies. The purpose of this randomized controlled study is to determine the absorption of iron and zinc from pearl millet biofortified with these two micronutrients. Forty children aged 2 years in Kanartaka, India are randomized to consume biofortified pearl millet (Group 1) or control pearl millet (Group 2) for two days. Quantities of zinc and iron absorbed are measured with established stable isotope extrinsic labeling techniques and analyses of duplicate diets.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Nutritional deficiency of iron in 30-70% of young children in different communities in India is well documented and has proved challenging to eradicate both in India and globally. Less is known about zinc deficiency, but zinc and iron are generally present in the same foods and there is also growing evidence for the public health importance of zinc deficiency in young children on a global basis. In populations that depend primarily on plant-based foods, biofortification of major food staples by traditional selective plant breeding procedures offers an attractive strategy for preventing iron and zinc deficiency in all age groups. Pearl millet, a major food staple in several areas of India, has both naturally relatively high concentrations of iron and zinc with demonstrated potential to increase these levels further with plant breeding. Before embarking on complex, costly efficacy, effectiveness studies of the potential health benefits of this biofortified grain, the objective of this project is to determine the extent to which iron and zinc absorption is increased in very young children who consume pearl millet as the primary grain and major food staple. This is a short term, cross-sectional double-blinded study in which the test or control pearl millet is fed for a total of 9 days. Primary outcome measures are the increases in iron and zinc absorption over a two-day period. Test meals will be labeled with a zinc stable isotope on Day 8 and an iron stable isotope on Days 8 and 9 during which days participants and their mothers will stay in their community health center. Food intake will be weighed and duplicate diets obtained. Percentage iron absorption will be determined from erythrocyte enrichment on Day 23. Fractional zinc absorption will be measured from urine enrichment with orally and intravenously administered zinc isotopes from timed samples collected on Days 12-15. Daily absorption of these minerals will be determined. Increases in intake and absorption of these minerals (mg/d) will be evaluated with respect to estimated dietary and physiologic requirements.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

44

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 Locations

  • India
    • Karnataka
      • Belgaum, Karnataka, India
        • JN Medical College (Human field studies)
  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
        • University of Colorado Denver

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

1 year to 5 months (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • lives in one of the targeted communities
  • apparently healthy
  • 23 m of age [may need modification]
  • Hemoglobin (Hb) > 8 g/dl
  • ferritin ≤ 12mg/L

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Hemoglobin (Hb) < 8g/dl
  • serum ferritin > 12 (even after correction for C-reactive protein (CRP)/ Alpha Glyco Protein (AGP)
  • thalassemia
  • birth weight < 2,500 g
  • birth defect affecting growth and development
  • chronic infection

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: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Iron and zinc biofortified pearl millet
Participants in the experimental arm consume pearl millet which has been biofortified with iron and zinc.
Other: Biofortified pearl millet
Participants in the experimental arm consume pearl millet biofortified with iron and zinc. The intervention is consumed for two days.
Active Comparator: Pearl millet
Participants in the control arm consume non-biofortified pearl millet.
Other: Pearl millet
Participants in the control arm consume pearl millet which has not been biofortified. The intervention is consumed for two days.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Absorption of iron from pearl millet
Time Frame: 2 days
Absorption of iron will be measured while the participants are eating pearl millet as their major food staple which will provide at least 50% energy and at least 75% iron, zinc and phytate of the diet. Fractional absorption of iron for two days will be measured by extrinsic labeling with stable isotopes of iron and measuring erythrocyte enrichment. Measurement of total iron in duplicate diets on test days will allow determination of quantity of this micronutrient absorbed (mg/d).
2 days
Absorption of zinc from pearl millet
Time Frame: 1 day
Absorption of zinc will be measured while the participants are eating pearl millet as their major food staple which will provide at least 50% energy and at least 75% iron, zinc and phytate of the diet. Fractional absorption of zinc for a day will be measured by extrinsic labeling with stable isotopes of zinc. Fractional absorption of zinc will be measured by a dual isotope tracer ratio technique. Measurement of total zinc in duplicate diets on test day will allow determination of quantity of this micronutrient absorbed (mg/d).
1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Collaborators

International Atomic Energy Agency
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College
HarvestPlus

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

February 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2012

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 28, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 1, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

February 4, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 28, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 26, 2016

Last Verified

April 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 13-1430

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 Nutritional Deficiency

Clinical Trials on Biofortified pearl millet

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Mexico

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe