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Functional Foods for Health
Sponsor: University of Reading
Summary
The gut plays an important role in supporting the immune system, and certain dietary components such as probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (fibres that feed beneficial bacteria) can help to maintain gut and immune health. Alginate is a natural fibre extracted from brown seaweed that is widely used in foods which may help support beneficial gut bacteria and regulate inflammation. Ongoing psychological stress is known to affect immune function and increase inflammation in the body. This study will investigate whether a daily jelly containing alginate support gut health and improve immune responses compared to a placebo in adults experiencing higher levels of chronic stress. We are recruiting participants with elevated chronic stress to assess whether a functional jelly containing alginate, can help to reduce markers of inflammation, by mediating a change in gut microbiota composition.
Official title: Assessing the Effects of a Novel Seaweed-containing Functional Food Product on Stress-Associated Immune and Gut Health Outcomes
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 50 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
40
Start Date
2026-10-19
Completion Date
2027-04-01
Last Updated
2026-10-13
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Sodium alginate
5g/d sodium alginate within a jelly matrix (5g/d of sodium alginate given as a single serving of flavoured jelly containing the sodium alginate each day)
Placebo (maltodextrin)
2g/d maltodextrin within a jelly matrix ( A placebo flavour and kcal matched jelly given each day containing no sodium alginate)
Locations (1)
University of Reading
Reading, United Kingdom