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CompletedNCT02215278Updated Aug 16, 2018

A Multiple Meal Stable Iron Isotope Study in Iron Deficient Rwandese Women to Investigate the Performance of Low Phytic Acid Bean Seeds

An interventional study of 10 x 55 g/ bean per arm in Enrichment of Blood With Stable Iron Isotopes, sponsored by GroundWork. Completed at 1 site in Rwanda. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-08-16.

Sponsored by GroundWork · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
25
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 30 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Recent iron absorption studies with biofortified beans indicated that the currently developed beans do not provide an extra amount of iron compared to normal iron beans. This effect was ascribed to the inhibitory nature of phytic acid (PA), which is present in high concentrations. A possible solution to alleviate problems associated with the high PA concentration in beans might be low phytic acid (lpa) bean seeds. These beans, which exhibit a good agronomic performance, were tested in a human absorption study in Switzerland and provided a higher amount of bioavailable iron compared to their parent beans with normal PA concentrations. However, the informative value of the study for the real life situation is limited due to the simple study design with a relatively large amount of isotopic label added extrinsically (≈30% of total iron). Furthermore, the study was conducted in iron sufficient women in a non-bean consuming population. Additional investigations are necessary to verify that iron bioavailability from lpa beans is high and that their performance is better compared to common biofortified beans in a real life situation. A multiple meal randomized crossover study in Rwandese women with low iron status will be done to measure iron absorption from three different beans (lpa bean line, biofortified high iron bean, normal iron bean as a control). During the study, the subjects will receive multiple meals to reduce the amount of extrinsic label, therefore more closely simulating hypothetical dietary iron intake from lpa beans. This will also allow to avoid an overestimation of the effect of inhibitors and to minimize the influence of intra subject day to day variation. The study will be divided into two parts. In part one, two of the three bean varieties will be fed as part of composite meals over several days (morning and lunch) and in part two, the remaining bean will be administered as part of composite meals over several days (morning and lunch). Iron absorption from the three varieties will be measured and compared with erythrocyte incorporation of stable isotopic labels 14 days after test meal administration.

02

Conditions studied

  • Enrichment of Blood With Stable Iron Isotopes

Keywords

  • iron biofortification
  • lpa bean
  • stable iron isotope study
  • phytic acid
03

In context

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with GroundWork as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 30 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • non pregnant women, non lactating women
  • 18-30 years
  • \<65 kg

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • metabolic, chronic or gastrointestinal disease
  • long term medication
  • blood donation within the last 6 month
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
25 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    low phytic acid bean (lpa variety)

    Dietary Supplement: 10 x 55 g/ bean per arm

  • Experimental
    high iron biofortified bean variety

    Dietary Supplement: 10 x 55 g/ bean per arm

  • Experimental
    normal iron, normal phytic acid bean

    Dietary Supplement: 10 x 55 g/ bean per arm

Interventions

  • Dietary supplement10 x 55 g/ bean per arm
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Iron bioavailability from lpa bean variety compared to an iron biofortified variety

    Iron bioavailability is determined by measuring the amounts of isotopic labels in blood 14 d after administration of the test meals. It is calculated on the basis of the shift in iron isotope ratios and on the estimated amount of iron circulating in the body. Circulating iron is calculated based on the blood volume estimated from height and weight and measured Hb concentration. The calculations are based on the principles of isotope dilution. For calculation of fractional absorption, 80% incorporation of the absorbed Fe into red blood cells is assumed. Isotopic analysis are performed by negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry using a magnetic sector field mass spectrometer equipped with a multi-collector system for simultaneous ion beam detection

    Time frame: 2 month

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Rwanda
    Butare, Huye, Rwanda
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Petry N, Rohner F, Gahutu JB, Campion B, Boy E, Tugirimana PL, Zimmerman MB, Zwahlen C, Wirth JP, Moretti D. In Rwandese Women with Low Iron Status, Iron Absorption from Low-Phytic Acid Beans and Biofortified Beans Is Comparable, but Low-Phytic Acid Beans Cause Adverse Gastrointestinal Symptoms. J Nutr. 2016 May;146(5):970-5. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.223693. Epub 2016 Mar 30. PubMed 27029940 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 16, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02215278
Lead sponsor
GroundWork
Collaborators
HarvestPlus
Responsible party
Nicolai Petry (Dr. of Science ETH, GroundWork) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 13, 2014
Start date
Feb 2014
Primary completion
Apr 2014
Completion
May 2014
Last update
Aug 16, 2018

Study contacts

Nicolai Petry, PhD
principal investigator · GroundWork
Diego Moretti, PhD
principal investigator · ETH Zurich

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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