Benzoates - an Obesogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemical

Benzoic Acid in Beverages: Establishing a Link Between Urinary Metabolites, Metabolic Dysregulation and Weight Loss Failure

The benzoic acid derivatives sodium and potassium benzoate are preservatives that are commonly added to food and beverages to inhibit microbial growth and prevent spoilage. In the US the major source of benzoate intake is beverages. Studies have shown that piglets or chicks fed low levels of benzoic acid have greater feed efficiency and gain more weight than control fed animals. It has also been shown that benzoic acid inhibits the release of a key metabolic hormone, leptin, from isolated adipocytes (fat cells). Inadequate leptin levels result in increased appetite, decreased metabolic rate, weight gain, insulin resistance and increased diabetes risk.

The primary aim of the proposed research is to directly determine if benzoate consumption in human volunteers results in lower levels of leptin, decreased metabolic rate and increased insulin resistance. If so this would implicate benzoic acid as an obesogen and would help inform more effective approaches to obesity prevention and treatment. A secondary aim of the study is to establish a connection between benzoate exposure and biomarkers in urine that can be used to help treat obese patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Metabolic Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Benzoic acid washout and exposure

Detailed Description

Our hypothesis is that benzoic acid is an obesogenic xenobiotic that attenuates the leptin signaling pathway resulting in lower metabolic rate and hence a propensity to weight loss non-responsiveness.

This hypothesis will be addressed in this pilot project via the following Specific Aims:

Aim 1. Determine if dietary benzoate attenuates leptin levels and metabolic rate in human subjects. Twenty heathy adolescents and young adults (age 18-25 yrs.) who are either overweight (BMI 25-29.9) or obese (BMI ≥ 30) will be studied. Following a 14 day period of avoiding benzoate containing beverages (washout period) subjects will then consume 36 oz./day of benzoate containing beverages (~ 3.9 - 4.5 mg benzoate/kg body weight per day exposure) for 7 days (exposure period). Fasting plasma samples will be collected pre and post-exposure and leptin, adiponectin, insulin and glucose levels will be compared. Indirect calorimetry will be used to compare resting energy expenditure pre-and post-exposure.

Aim 2. Validate the use of urinary hippurate and glycine to assess benzoate exposure. An early morning void urine samples will be collected pre-and post-exposure. Non-targeted NMR-based metabolomics analysis will be used to compare changes in individual subject's urinary metabolome using pre- and post-exposure as the "phenotypic" anchors.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Greenville, North Carolina, United States, 27834
      • Brody school of Medicine at East Carolina University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Young adult (18-30 yrs)
• Healthy non-smoker
• Either overweight (BMI >25 but <30) or obese (BMI >30)
• Has or can obtain transportation to study site
• Able to provide written consent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Metabolic disease

  1. Diabetes mellitus
  2. Hypothyroidism

• Use of medication that may influence metabolism

  1. Anti-hyperglycemic agents
  2. Thyroid hormone
  3. Stimulants for ADD/ADHD
  4. Atypical anti-psychotics
  5. Weight loss medications
• Benzoate sensitivity
• Known pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Benzoic acid washout and exposure; All subjects will be in this arm which employs a pre-post exposure design. Subjects will undergo a 2 week washout period where they avoid consumption of benzoate containing beverages. Then there is a 1 week exposure period comprising daily consumption of benzoate containing beverages to result in up to 5 mg/kg per day benzoic acid intake.	Other: Benzoic acid washout and exposure; see above

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Metabolic rate	Metabolic rate as measured by indirect calorimetry	measured following 1 week dietary exposure to benzoic acid.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Leptin levels	Circulating levels of the adipokine leptin will be measured using ELISA	measured following 1 week dietary exposure to benzoic acid

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: East Carolina University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 13, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 15, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): June 19, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 23, 2023
• Last Verified: March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: leptin; metabolic rate; benzoic acid; endocrine disrupting chemicals
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Insulin Resistance; Hyperinsulinism; Metabolic Syndrome; Anti-Infective Agents; Antifungal Agents; Benzoic Acid
• Other Study ID Numbers: 17-000376

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No