Vascular Effects of Acute Sodium (VEAS) Study

NCT ID: NCT04244604

Last Updated: 2025-12-19

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

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

71 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-05-03

Study Completion Date

2025-12-15

Brief Summary

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This IRB will cover a current clinical trial (NCT04244604) that was started at Auburn University (AU IRB#19-390), the Principal Investigator's prior institution, and is supported by his NIH Career Development Award (NHLBI K01HL147998).

About nine out of ten Americans overconsume dietary salt. Compared to other racial groups, Black individuals are more prone to salt-sensitive hypertension and negative cardiovascular conditions associated with high salt intake. However, there is a critical need to determine the reasons behind and mechanisms that contribute to these racial disparities. Both acute (single meal) and chronic high-dietary sodium cause small but important increases in blood sodium concentration that are associated with altered blood pressure regulation and blood vessel dysfunction. However, racial differences in these measures have not been examined. This is important because Black individuals generally exhibit lower circulating concentrations of hormones (e.g., renin, aldosterone, angiotensin 2) that buffer changes in body sodium to regulate blood pressure, and this could make them more vulnerable to the negative effects of a high-sodium meal.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether there are racial differences in blood pressure regulation and blood flow after a high-sodium meal. The investigators will assess blood pressure regulation, blood vessel stiffness, and the blood vessel's ability to dilate before and after a high-salt meal and a low-salt control meal (both meals are low-salt tomato soup with varied added salt). The investigators will also collect blood and urine to measure sodium and determine biochemical changes that may be contributing to racial differences in cardiovascular function.

Detailed Description

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The investigators have previously used a high-sodium saline infusion to increase blood sodium and consequently increase blood pressure in Black and White individuals. The investigators' prior data suggest that increased blood sodium concentrations result in larger blood pressure elevations for a given elevation in blood sodium levels in Black compared to White adults. In this proposal, the investigators are seeking to translate these previous findings using a single high-salt meal (up to 2500 mg of sodium; similar to a few slices of pizza or a sandwich/burger and side dish). Our primary aims are to determine if the high-sodium meal causes greater 1) blood pressure dysregulation 2) decreases in blood vessel function and 3) larger changes in blood sodium in Black compared to White individuals. Other potential questions that could be determined include aging differences or an influence of fitness. The investigators will not exclude other races/ethnicities as the project will also determine the response of other minority groups (e.g. Asian or Latine/Hispanic adults) to a high-salt meal.

Participants will report to the laboratory for four visits. At the first visit, consent for study participation will be obtained and participants will be screened for eligibility. Baseline assessments will be completed which may include fitness testing and body composition assessments. If necessary, these assessments may be completed at a second in-person visit. Participants will then report to the laboratory for two experimental visits. At each visit, participants will consume a randomly assigned meal (i.e., a soup containing either low- or high-salt) and undergo assessments prior to and 30- and 60-minutes after consumption. During the study, all participants will consume both meals, however, the order of exposure will be randomly assigned.

Conditions

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Sodium Excess Racial Disparities Blood Pressure Cardiovascular Risk Factor

Keywords

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blood pressure racial disparities cardiovascular health physical fitness sleep dietary sodium dietary salt diet

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

The intervention is to provide subjects with either a low sodium meal (140 mg sodium) and a high sodium meal (2500 mg sodium), in a randomized order.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Investigators
The experimenter will be blinded to what sodium condition the participant is in, and all data analysis will be conducted blinded to the condition as well.

Study Groups

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High Sodium Meal (2500 mg sodium), Then Low Sodium Meal (140 mg sodium)

On experimental visit days, participants will consume each of the experimental meals, in this order. Prior to, and at several timepoints after consumption, they will have sympathetic nerve activity, vascular function, blood pressure and blood samples (from intravenous catheters) assessed.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Low Sodium Meal (140 mg sodium chloride)

Intervention Type OTHER

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

High Sodium Meal (2500 mg sodium chloride)

Intervention Type OTHER

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

Low Sodium Meal (140 mg sodium), then High Sodium Meal (2500 mg sodium)

On experimental visit days, participants will consume each of the experimental meals, in this order. Prior to, and at several timepoints after consumption, they will have sympathetic nerve activity, vascular function, blood pressure and blood samples (from intravenous catheters) assessed.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Low Sodium Meal (140 mg sodium chloride)

Intervention Type OTHER

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

High Sodium Meal (2500 mg sodium chloride)

Intervention Type OTHER

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

Interventions

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Low Sodium Meal (140 mg sodium chloride)

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

Intervention Type OTHER

High Sodium Meal (2500 mg sodium chloride)

Varied amounts of salt (sodium chloride) will be added to a very low sodium soup to determine the effects of a single high sodium meal on measures of vascular function and autonomic regulation of blood pressure. The Low Sodium soup will serve as the control condition.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Are between the ages of 19-40.
2. Have blood pressure no higher than 140/90 mmHg.
3. Have a BMI below 35 Kg/m2 (otherwise healthy)
4. Free from metabolic disease (diabetes or renal disease), pulmonary disorders (e.g., COPD, severe asthma, or cystic fibrosis), and cardiovascular disease (peripheral vascular, cardiac, or cerebrovascular).
5. Do not have any precluding medical issues that prevent participants from exercising (i.e., cardiovascular issues, or muscle/joint issues including painful arthritis) or giving blood (e.g., blood thinners).
6. Are not currently smoking, using smokeless tobacco, nor smoked within the past 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria

1. High blood pressure - greater than 140/90 mmHg
2. Obesity (BMI \> 30 kg/m2)
3. History of metabolic disease (diabetes or renal disease), pulmonary disorders (e.g., COPD, severe asthma, or cystic fibrosis), and cardiovascular disease (peripheral vascular, cardiac, or cerebrovascular)
4. Medical issues that prevent safe exercise (i.e., cardiovascular issues, or muscle/joint issues including painful arthritis)
5. Medical issues that prevent giving blood (e.g., blood thinners)
6. Currently smoking, using smokeless tobacco, or vaping (within past 12 monrths)
7. Current pregnancy
Minimum Eligible Age

19 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Delaware

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Indiana University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Austin Robinson

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama, United States

Site Status

Indiana University School of Public Health

Bloomington, Indiana, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Wenner MM, Paul EP, Robinson AT, Rose WC, Farquhar WB. Acute NaCl Loading Reveals a Higher Blood Pressure for a Given Serum Sodium Level in African American Compared to Caucasian Adults. Front Physiol. 2018 Oct 1;9:1354. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01354. eCollection 2018.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30327611 (View on PubMed)

Babcock MC, Robinson AT, Migdal KU, Watso JC, Wenner MM, Stocker SD, Farquhar WB. Reducing Dietary Sodium to 1000 mg per Day Reduces Neurovascular Transduction Without Stimulating Sympathetic Outflow. Hypertension. 2019 Mar;73(3):587-593. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.12074.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30661474 (View on PubMed)

Dickinson KM, Clifton PM, Burrell LM, Barrett PH, Keogh JB. Postprandial effects of a high salt meal on serum sodium, arterial stiffness, markers of nitric oxide production and markers of endothelial function. Atherosclerosis. 2014 Jan;232(1):211-6. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.10.032. Epub 2013 Nov 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24401240 (View on PubMed)

Migdal KU, Robinson AT, Watso JC, Babcock MC, Serrador JM, Farquhar WB. A high-salt meal does not augment blood pressure responses during maximal exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020 Feb;45(2):123-128. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0217. Epub 2019 Jun 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31238011 (View on PubMed)

Culver MN, Linder BA, Lyons DE, Hutchison ZJ, Garrett CL, McNeil JN, Robinson AT. Do not sleep on vitamin D: vitamin D is associated with sleep variability in apparently healthy adults. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2025 Mar 1;328(3):R262-R273. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00168.2024. Epub 2025 Jan 28.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39873709 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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K01HL147998

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

23319

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id