Clinical Research Directory

The Influence of Fluid Intake on Mental Performance

Over half of the adult population in Europe, Asia and Latin America fail to meet adequate water intake guidelines as advised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA; 2.5 and 2 litres/day for men and women, respectively coming from both food and drinks). Increasing epidemiological evidence suggests that chronic low fluid intake may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases. The association between chronic low fluid intake and increased morbidity risk may be underpinned by elevations in key water-regulating hormones, such as arginine vasopressin (AVP) and its surrogate copeptin, which influence glucose regulation and renal function. For example, AVP stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis to release the stress hormone cortisol with potentially far-reaching effects on metabolism, immunity and inflammation. Prospective cohort studies have demonstrated that exaggerated cortisol responses to acute stress are associated with poor health outcomes. A recent cross-sectional study (NCT05491122) from our group found that individuals with a low habitual fluid intake experienced greater cortisol reactivity to acute stress than those with a high habitual intake. The findings of this study may provide a potential explanation for why poor hydration and low fluid intake have negative effects on long-term health. We now aim to explore whether altering fluid intake influences cortisol reactivity to acute stress.

MyGENESIS-PATH: Digital Program for Donor-Conceived People

MyGENESIS-PATH is a self-guided digital psychoeducational intervention designed to support donor-conceived adults in navigating donor-conception-related information and uncertainty, DNA testing, identity, family relationships, disclosure, stigma, and expectations concerning donors and donor siblings. This two-arm randomized pilot and feasibility trial will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering MyGENESIS-PATH and of conducting a future definitive randomized controlled trial. Sixty donor-conceived adults will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to immediate access to MyGENESIS-PATH or to a waitlist control condition. Primary feasibility outcomes will assess recruitment, completion of the 4-week follow-up assessment, completeness of psychosocial outcome data, intervention uptake and completion, and completion of the immediate post-intervention feedback assessment. Intervention acceptability, usability, perceived usefulness, relevance, emotional manageability, and potential unwanted effects will be assessed among participants allocated to MyGENESIS-PATH. Changes in perceived stress, psychological well-being, coping, and donor-conception-related identity from baseline to 4 weeks after randomization will be examined as exploratory outcomes. The study is not powered to detect definitive intervention effects.