An interventional study of pecan nut in Healthy Adults, sponsored by University of California, Davis. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 45 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-24.
Sponsored by University of California, Davis · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
The main goal of this clinical study is to see if consuming pecan nuts will result in improvements in overall body metabolism such as in blood lipids, markers of inflammation, blood pressure, cognitive performance and changes in bacteria living in the gut in adults 45 to 75 years of age.
Participants will take part in two 3-month intervention periods, separated by 4-6 weeks, in random order ( a total of approximately 7 months). During one intervention period, they will include pecan nuts in their diet each day, while during the other intervention period they will avoid pecans in their diet. There will be an initial screening visit to evaluate eligibility and four study visits to the clinic.
Participants will be asked to complete some questionnaires about their diet, physical and cognitive health, and provide blood and stool samples, and have their blood pressure measured.
University of California, Davis is the lead sponsor of 798 studies on the registry; 146 are open to participants now.
Of its 65 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 43 (66%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
BMI of 20-35 kg/m2, ability to understand the intervention instructions, Willingness to follow the dietary intervention, Willingness to provide biological samples (blood and stool) -
Exclusion Criteria:
Allergy to pecan or other nuts, Cognitive impairment due to dementia of any type and inability to understand or comply with intervention instructions, Use of menopausal hormone replacement therapy, Use of antibiotics or probiotics in the 2 months prior to enrollment, Uncontrolled diabetes with HbA1C of >9.5, Vegetarian/vegan, Any serious medical condition (such as chronic kidney disease of stage 3 or greater, heart failure, active cancer treatment, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.), Consumption of supplements that may interfere with vascular response or gut microbiome, Use of statin drugs for cholesterol lowering.
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Participant will add pecan nuts to their diet during the first intervention arm, then they will cross over to the no nut diet arm
Other: pecan nut
Participant will consume a diet without nuts during the first intervention arm, then they will cross over to the arm where they will add pecan nuts to their diet.
Other: pecan nut
Dose - 2 ounces of pecan nuts, daily
Change in vascular response at 3 months
Vascular response as measured by Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in blood lipids over 3 months
Blood lipids as measured by clinical lipid panel, including total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and Tiglycerides
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in markers of inflammation at 3 months
Markers of inflammation as measured by Luminex cytokine panel IL-17
Time frame: change from baseline at 3 months
Change in gut microbiome profile at 3 months
Gut microbiome profile as measured by fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in blood markers of intestinal permeability at 3 months.
Blood marker of intestinal permeability as measured by ELISA for LBP and LPS
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in blood markers of intestinal permeability at 3 months
Blood biomarker of intestinal permeability and immune activation as measured by ELISA of sCD14
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in cognitive function - reaction time at 3 months
Reaction time task as measured by CANTAB assessments
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in cognitive function - working memory at 3 months
Spatial working memory as assessed by CANTAB
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in cognitive function - episodic memory at 3 months
Paired associates learning as measured by CANTAB
Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 months
Change in cognitive function - sustained attention at 3 months
Attention measured via Rapid visual information processing using CANTAB
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in quality of life at 3 months
Self-perceived quality of life questionnaire assessed using World Health Organization Qualigy of Life Instruments (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in sleep quality at 3 months
Self-rated questionnaire of sleep quality measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in mood over 3 months
Assessment of mood using the Affect Grid
Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 months
Change in perceived stress over 3 months
Assessment of stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in anxiety at 3 months
Anxiety measured using the Generalized Anxiety disorder Scale (GAD-7)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in depressive symptoms at 3 months
Assessment of depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Change in blood acute phase inflammatory response maker at 3 months
Acute phase inflammatory response measured by hsCRP
Time frame: Change from baseline at 3 months
Plan to share: No
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University of California, Davis