Assessing the Presence of Casomorphins in Human Plasma After Dairy Ingestion

NCT ID: NCT00360919

Last Updated: 2012-08-07

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

EARLY_PHASE1

Total Enrollment

28 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2006-09-30

Study Completion Date

2010-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This purpose of this study is to perform a pilot investigation to determine if opioid peptides such as casomorphin can be detected in human plasma after cheese ingestion.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Cheese is one of the most commonly craved foods, suggesting the possibility of opiate activity, as has been demonstrated with other craved foods, particularly chocolate. Like other dairy products, cheese contains casein, which is the major protein in cow's milk. This is unlike human milk, in which the primary protein is whey. Casein includes αs1-, αs2-, β- , and κ-casein, with αs1 and β forms predominating. Human and bovine casein molecules are cleaved during digestion to release opioid peptides that are believed to have biological properties relevant to infant physiology and behavior. Specifically, β-casein is cleaved to form β-casomorphins. Like other opiate agonists, β-casomorphins prolong gastrointestinal transit time and have an antidiarrheal effect.

Casomorphin receptor binding has been demonstrated in opiate receptor assays and bioassays. Duodenal aspirates from human volunteers given cow's milk have demonstrated the presence of several casomorphins, particularly β-casomorphin-7. Few studies have assessed the presence or action of casomorphins in humans. The ability of casein-derived opioid peptides to pass into the bloodstream is not well characterized, and is the subject of the present study.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Food Habits

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

casomorphin cheese craving casein milk

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

A

Cheese

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

cheese ingestion

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

On study day 1, approximately half of the participants will consume a breakfast of fruits and vegetables, whereas the other half of participants will consume a meal consisting of 9 oz. of cheese.

Blood samples will be collected from participants immediately prior to consumption of the meals, and then again at regular intervals for up to 8 hours following the meals.

At least 3 days later, participants will return for study Day 2. The participants will receive the second meal. Blood samples will then be collected immediately prior to consumption of the test meal and for up to 8 hours after the meal.

B

Fruits and vegetables

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

cheese ingestion

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

On study day 1, approximately half of the participants will consume a breakfast of fruits and vegetables, whereas the other half of participants will consume a meal consisting of 9 oz. of cheese.

Blood samples will be collected from participants immediately prior to consumption of the meals, and then again at regular intervals for up to 8 hours following the meals.

At least 3 days later, participants will return for study Day 2. The participants will receive the second meal. Blood samples will then be collected immediately prior to consumption of the test meal and for up to 8 hours after the meal.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

cheese ingestion

On study day 1, approximately half of the participants will consume a breakfast of fruits and vegetables, whereas the other half of participants will consume a meal consisting of 9 oz. of cheese.

Blood samples will be collected from participants immediately prior to consumption of the meals, and then again at regular intervals for up to 8 hours following the meals.

At least 3 days later, participants will return for study Day 2. The participants will receive the second meal. Blood samples will then be collected immediately prior to consumption of the test meal and for up to 8 hours after the meal.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Age greater than 18 years
* Male or female
* Either self-described as having a strong liking for cheese, or have been following a vegan diet for a least the previous six months.

Exclusion Criteria

* Unstable medical status
* Physical condition affecting eating behavior, digestion, or intestinal absorption
* Dairy allergy or lactose intolerance
* Pregnancy
* History of severe mental illness
* Smoking during the past six months
* Alcohol consumption of more than two drinks per day
* History of substance abuse or dependency followed by any current use
* Inordinate fear of blood draws
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Neal Barnard, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Hope R Ferdowsian, MD, MPH

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Washington Center for Clinical Research

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Shah NP. Effects of milk-derived bioactives: an overview. Br J Nutr. 2000 Nov;84 Suppl 1:S3-10. doi: 10.1017/s000711450000218x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11242440 (View on PubMed)

Meisel H, FitzGerald RJ. Opioid peptides encrypted in intact milk protein sequences. Br J Nutr. 2000 Nov;84 Suppl 1:S27-31. doi: 10.1017/s000711450000221x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11242443 (View on PubMed)

Brantl V, Teschemacher H, Blasig J, Henschen A, Lottspeich F. Opioid activities of beta-casomorphins. Life Sci. 1981 Apr 27;28(17):1903-9. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(81)90297-6. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6265721 (View on PubMed)

Svedberg J, de Haas J, Leimenstoll G, Paul F, Teschemacher H. Demonstration of beta-casomorphin immunoreactive materials in in vitro digests of bovine milk and in small intestine contents after bovine milk ingestion in adult humans. Peptides. 1985 Sep-Oct;6(5):825-30. doi: 10.1016/0196-9781(85)90308-0.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4080604 (View on PubMed)

Drewnowski A, Krahn DD, Demitrack MA, Nairn K, Gosnell BA. Taste responses and preferences for sweet high-fat foods: evidence for opioid involvement. Physiol Behav. 1992 Feb;51(2):371-9. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(92)90155-u.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1313591 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

WCCR-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id