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CompletedNCT05577858PRODMED1Updated Sep 17, 2026

Protein-Distinct Macronutrient-Equivalent Diet 1

An interventional study of Meat based and Pulse based in Healthy Lifestyle, sponsored by South Dakota State University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 60 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-17.

Sponsored by South Dakota State University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
76
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
60 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Plant-based diets are naturally low in Methionine (Met), and also low in precursor molecules (e.g L-carnitine, choline, betaine, etc.) producing microbiota-mediated proatherogenic TMAO. Among plant proteins, pulses are rich in micronutrients, and dietary fibers, making them ideal for microbiome-stimulating, nutrient-dense, healthful dietary patterns. However, daily pulse intake remains low at 8% in America despite recommendations by DGA, a resource to guide health promotion across communities. A significant body of preclinical data, waiting to be translated to humans, suggests that dietary Met restriction can trigger beneficial metabolic and anti-inflammatory adaptations leading to improved chronic health and longevity. The central hypothesis is that a pulse-protein-based healthy diet can be simultaneously equivalent to omnivorous diets in protein content and yet naturally lower in Met and TMAO to improve glycemic control, body composition, and immunometabolic flexibility to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve healthspan. The goal is to systematically elucidate for the first time the effects of a lacto-vegetarian feeding pattern with pulses as the primary protein source on a comprehensive panel of \~500 traditional and next-generation biomarkers of health, and assess the role of the gut microbiota in mediating such effects. We also aim to interrogate the potential concern about the lower bioavailability of non-heme iron from pulses.

02

Conditions studied

  • Healthy Lifestyle
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In context

Lead sponsor

South Dakota State University is the lead sponsor of 16 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
60 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Generally good health status based on routine physical in the past 12 months, current healthy status
  • Normal HbA1C, not underweight
  • Age 60 years or more, all races, both sexes and all education level
  • Do not have any special dietary requirements and willing to consume vegetarian diet
  • Willingness to comply with the study protocol, including on-site meal consumption and sample/data collection.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Probiotic, long-term antibiotic, and tobacco/drug/alcohol use
  • Not on any special diet within 3 months of recruitment
  • Impaired kidney functions
  • Active history of cancer, diabetes, heart, liver, and kidney diseases
  • Major gastrointestinal disorders in the past 3 months
  • History of heart attacks or stroke
  • Unable to meet in-person visit requirements for dining, picking up meals, and tests
  • Any mental health condition that would affect the ability to provide written informed consent.
  • If they had not had a routine health checkup during the 12 months prior to recruitment.
  • If they were unwilling to abstain from taking certain nutritional supplements, alcohol, or non-study foods during the study period.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Double (Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
76 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Other
    Meat based

    Animal protein-based dietary intervention

    Other: Meat based

  • Experimental
    Pulse based

    Pulse-protein-based dietary intervention

    Other: Pulse based

Interventions

  • OtherMeat based

    Omnivorous diet following dietary guidelines

  • OtherPulse based

    Lacto-ovo-vegetarian pulse-based diet following dietary guidelines

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Ferritin

    Microplate assay

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  2. Concentration of TMAO in blood

    Using LC/MS based method method

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  3. Fasting blood glucose concentration in blood

    Using Glucometer

    Time frame: 16 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Body weight in kilograms

    Measurement

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  2. Concentration of CRP in blood

    Microplate assay

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  3. Gut microbiota composition and diversity

    16S rRNA gene sequencing

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  4. Fat and lean mass in kg using DXA for body composition measures

    DEXA scan

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  5. Concentration of sulfur containing amino acids in blood

    LC/MS based method

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  6. Digestible indispensable amino acid score using different amino acid concentrations

    Using standard equation

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  7. Concentration of IGF-1 in blood

    Using Microplate assay kit

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  8. Concentration of IGF-BP3 in blood

    Using Microplate assay kit

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  9. Concentration of Fasting insulin in blood

    Using Microplate assay kit

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  10. Peak heights of several complex lipids panel using metabolomics technique

    LC/MS based assay

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  11. Concentration Short-chain fatty acid panel in stool

    using LC/MS based assay

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  12. Peak heights of several Biogenic amines panel using metabolomics technique

    using LC/MS based assay

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  13. Muscle strength using Isokinetic muscle testing

    Biodex ergometer

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  14. Balance assessment using balance

    Mechanography

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  15. Grip force per kg mass

    using Dynamometer

    Time frame: 16 weeks

  16. Blood pressure in mm Hg

    Upper arm cuff

    Time frame: 16 weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • South Dakota State University, Wagner Hall 416
    Brookings, South Dakota 57007, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • de Vargas BO, Vaezi S, Weidauer L, Sanders WM, Dey M. Effects of a pulse-based, guidelines-aligned diet on biomarkers relevant to aging: Results from the PRODMED1 randomized controlled crossover feeding trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2026 Aug;74:103337. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2026.103337. Epub 2026 May 19. PubMed 42162614 ↗
  • de Vargas BO, Vaezi S, Freeling JL, Zhang Y, Weidauer L, Lee CL, Zhao J, Dey M. Design and Implementation of the Protein-Distinct Macronutrient-Equivalent Diet (PRODMED) Study: An Eighteen-Week Randomized Crossover Feeding Trial Among Free-Living Rural Older Adults. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025 Mar 24;9(5):104588. doi: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.104588. eCollection 2025 May. PubMed 40291832 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 17, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05577858
Lead sponsor
South Dakota State University
Responsible party
Moul Dey (Professor, South Dakota State University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 13, 2022
Start date
Nov 15, 2022
Primary completion
Dec 20, 2023
Completion
Dec 20, 2023
Last update
Sep 17, 2026

Study contacts

Moul Dey, Ph.D.
principal investigator · South Dakota State University

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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