Postprandial Effects of Fresh Mango as a Table Sugar Replacement in High-Sugar Breakfasts.

Effects of Fresh Mango as a Table Sugar Replacement on Postprandial Intestinal Permeability and Inflammation Following a High-Sugar Breakfast.

Systemic inflammation and intestinal hyperpermeability (disruption of the gut barrier which allows nutrient molecules and bacteria to enter the bloodstream) are triggered by consumption of high-sugar meals and are linked to future development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous research indicates that fresh mangos have properties that have positive effects on the intestinal barrier and local gut inflammation. The investigators want to understand if replacing table sugar (sucrose) with sugar from fresh mango (which also contains fiber and plant bioactives) will lead to decreased inflammatory and permeability biomarkers after eating a high-sugar breakfast. The investigators will compare the postprandial (post meal) levels of inflammatory (IL-6) and permeability (LPS, lipid binding protein (LBP), and soluble CD14) biomarkers in blood from participants who have consumed a meal sweetened with either sucrose or fresh mango.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy Participants
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: High-Glycemic Breakfast Containing Cereal and Fresh Mango; Other: High-Glycemic Breakfast Containing Cereal and Table Sugar

Detailed Description

The investigators will use banked serum samples from an ongoing randomized crossover study to determine the effects of fresh mango as a substitute for added sugar on postprandial glucose and insulin in the context of high glycemic and low glycemic breakfasts. The investigators will use samples banked from the high glycemic meals and compare indicators of intestinal permeability and inflammation following corn flakes + fresh mango and corn flakes + sucrose. the samples come from recruited individuals with a BMI in the 18.5-35.0 kg/m2 range from the Ball State University campus and surrounding communities. Each participant (N=35) will complete two meal trials in random order. An indwelling intravenous catheter (IV) is placed in a forearm vein and a baseline blood sample is collected. Next, participants will consume one of the two test meals: (1) corn flakes with 2% milk + fresh mango and (2) corn flakes with 2% milk + sucrose. Corn flakes based meals reflect a commonly consumed breakfast food with high glycemic index. In each meal, total sugar (grams) will be identical, meals are nearly isocaloric (+/- ≤ 4 kcal) and macronutrients are matched.

After each meal, additional whole blood samples will be collected at 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180 minutes after participants take their first bite of food. Blood is collected into serum separator tubes, allowed to clot, centrifuged, and stored at -80 degrees C until study completion. Serum LPS, LBP, and sCD14 will be assayed in duplicate at all timepoints as indicators of intestinal permeability. Direct LPS measurement will be carried out using a cutting-edge assay (Pyrogene rFC; Lonza) that detects LPS in a single enzymatic step. LPS assays will be conducted with LPS-free consumables in sterile biosafety cabinet. LBP and sCD14 will be measured with commercially available ELISAs. Serum IL-6 will be assayed in duplicate at all time points as a measure of inflammation. IL-6 analyses will be measured externally at the Indiana University School of Medicine Translational Core on a high-sensitivity single-plex assay.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Bryant Keirns, PhD; Phone Number: 765-285-8356; Email: bryant.keirns@bsu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Indiana
    • Muncie, Indiana, United States, 47306
      • Recruiting
      • Health Professions Building, Ball State University
      • Contact: Bryant Keirns, PhD; Phone Number: 765-285-8356; Email: bryant.keirns@bsu.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 - 45 years.
• Body mass index between 18.5-35.0 kg/m2
• Not pregnant or expecting to become pregnant (females only)
• Not postmenopausal (females only).
• No known chronic medical conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, etc.)
• No history of using tobacco/illicit drugs
• No history of using glucose-lowering medications/supplements.
• No history of using prescribed anti-inflammatory medications
• Does not use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications ≥2x/week
• Does not have a pacemaker.
• No relevant food allergies/intolerances
• Able to lay supine for at least ten minutes.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not between the ages of 18-45
• Body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2 or >35.0 kg/m2
• Pregnant (females only)
• Postmenopausal status (females only).
• Been diagnosed with a chronic medical conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, etc.)
• Uses tobacco products or any illicit drugs.
• Uses glucose-lowering drugs/supplements.
• Regularly takes anti-inflammatory drugs (more than 2x week).
• Have a pacemaker.
• Allergic to mango, wheat, gluten, and/or milk.
• Unable to lay in supine position in the dark for at least ten minutes.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cereal Consumption with Table Sugar; During the Cereal and Table Sugar arm, participants will consume a bowl of corn flakes with 2% milk sweetened with table sugar.	Other: High-Glycemic Breakfast Containing Cereal and Table Sugar; High-glycemic breakfast of 84 grams of corn flakes prepared with 355 mL of 2% milk and sweetened with 36 grams of table sugar.
Experimental: Cereal Consumption with Fresh Mango; During the Cereal and Fresh Mango arm, participants will consume a bowl of corn flakes with 2% milk sweetened with fresh mango.	Other: High-Glycemic Breakfast Containing Cereal and Fresh Mango; High-glycemic breakfast of 84 grams of corn flakes prepared with 355 mL of 2% milk and sweetened with 262 grams of fresh mango.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
LPS	The investigators will measure LPS at baseline and 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180- minutes after each meal. These measurements will take place immediately and a complete dataset will be compiled upon study completion.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.
LPS Binding Protein	The investigators will measure LPS binding protein at baseline and 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180-minutes after each meal. These measurements will take place immediately and a complete dataset will be compiled upon study completion.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.
IL-6	The investigators will measure IL-6 at baseline and 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180-minutes after each meal. These measurements will take place immediately and a complete dataset will be compiled upon study completion.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptability	The investigators will measure acceptability of each meal with a survey at each study visit once post-meal.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.
sCD14	The investigators will measure soluble CD14 at baseline and 30-, 60-, 120-, and 180-minutes after each meal. These measurements will take place immediately and a complete dataset will be compiled upon study completion.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.
Satiety	The investigators will measure satiety through a survey at baseline and at 30-, 60-, 90-, 120-, 150-, and 180-minutes after the meal.	Through study completion, up to 1 year.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body Composition	The investigators will measure body composition using bioelectrical impedance (InBody).	Through study completion, up to 1 year.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ball State University
• Collaborators: National Mango Board
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Bryant Keirns, PhD, Ball State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: inflammation; intestinal permeability; fresh mango
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Inflammation; Chemical Actions and Uses; Food; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Food and Beverages; Dietary Carbohydrates; Carbohydrates; Specialty Uses of Chemicals; Polysaccharides; Disaccharides; Oligosaccharides; Sugars; Sucrose; Food Additives; Food Ingredients; Flavoring Agents; Sweetening Agents; Dietary Sugars; Nutritive Sweeteners; Dietary Sucrose
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB-FY2025-25-1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

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