Appetite Response to Meals With Different Protein Sources in Women With PCOS

August 25, 2025 updated by: Jamie Baum, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Comparative Meal Response to Plant vs. Animal Protein in Women With PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, and reproductive dysfunction. Dietary strategies that improve postprandial insulin and glucose responses are central to managing metabolic symptoms in PCOS.

Meals higher in protein can attenuate postprandial glycemia and enhance satiety, but the effects may vary by protein source. Animal sources of protein typically have higher essential amino acid content and insulinogenic potential, whereas plant proteins offer fiber and phytochemicals that may influence glycemic dynamics differently. Few studies have directly compared the acute metabolic effects of plant versus animal protein in women with PCOS. Given the distinct pathophysiology of PCOS, extrapolating findings from healthy populations may be misleading.

Understanding protein-specific effects on postprandial insulin, glucose, and appetite-regulating hormones in this group is essential for targeted nutrition guidance. Additionally, plant-based diets are increasingly promoted for cardiometabolic health, but their acute effects in insulin-resistant women remain underexplored. This study will assess whether plant and animal protein meals elicit differential postprandial responses in women with PCOS. Findings may inform dietary recommendations aimed at improving metabolic outcomes in this high-risk population.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

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

  • Name: Jamie I Baum, PhD
  • Phone Number: 479-575-4474
  • Email: baum@uark.edu

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Arkansas
      • Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States, 72704
        • Recruiting
        • Center for Human Nutrition
        • Contact:
          • Jamie I Baum, PhD
          • Phone Number: 479-575-4474
          • Email: baum@uark.edu
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jamie I Baum, PhD

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

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Females ages 18-50 years
  • Confirmed diagnosis of PCOS
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 35 kg/m2
  • Stable body weight for at least 3 months (+ 5 pounds)
  • Willingness to consume both plant- and animal-based protein meals

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Smoking or use of nicotine products
  • Smoking or use of marijuana products
  • Food allergies or dietary restrictions incompatible with test meals
  • Diagnosed diabetes (type 1 or 2)
  • Use of medications that interfere with study outcomes (e.g., metformin, GLP-1 agonists, etc.)

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Plant protein challenge
After an overnight fast, participants will be given a 350-400 kcal meal containing 30% energy from plant protein sources. Participants will be given 10 minutes to consume the meal and appetite and metabolic response will be measured for 240 following the meal.
Other: Metabolic response to protein source
Participants will be given a 350-400 kcal meal challenge containing 30% energy from animal protein. They will be given 10 minutes to consume the meal and meal response will be measured 240 minutes following the meal.
Experimental: Animal Protein Challenge
After an overnight fast, participants will be given a 350-400 kcal meal containing 30% energy from animal protein sources. Participants will be given 10 minutes to consume the meal and appetite and metabolic response will be measured for 240 following the meal.
Other: Metabolic response to protein source
Participants will be given a 350-400 kcal meal challenge containing 30% energy from animal protein. They will be given 10 minutes to consume the meal and meal response will be measured 240 minutes following the meal.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Energy expenditure
Time Frame: Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Energy expenditure will be measured using indirect calorimetry.
Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Plasma amino acid response
Time Frame: Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Plasma amino acids will be measured using UPLC
Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Appetite
Time Frame: Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Participants will be asked to rate their perceived hunger, fullness, and desire to eat with the use of a traditional 100 mm visual analog scales (VAS) with opposing anchors (e.g., "extremely hungry" or "not hungry at all"). The questions include "how hungry do you feel at this moment," "how full do you feel at this moment," "how strong is your desire to eat at this moment," and "how much food do you think you could eat at this moment." Participants will also be asked to evaluate the appearance ("how much do you like or dislike the appearance of the breakfast foods") and palatability ("how much do you like or dislike the smell and taste of the breakfast foods") of the breakfast with the use of a traditional 100 mm visual analog scale with opposing anchors "dislike extremely" or "like extremely." Appetite assessments were measured at 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min after the meal.
Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Plasma biomarkers related to appetite
Time Frame: Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).
Appetite biomarkers including PYY (Peptide YY), CCK (cholecystokinin), BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), GLP-1 (glucagon-like petide-1), and ghrelin will be measured using commercially available kits. This measurements will be interpreted together to make a conclusion about a appetite regulation in response to protein source.
Meal response over 240 minutes (0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes post meal challenge).

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jamie I Baum, PhD, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

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)

August 18, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 19, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

August 26, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 2, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 25, 2025

Last Verified

August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2507614944

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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