The Impact of Pastured Livestock Food Consumption on Fatty Acid and Metabolomic Profiles

NCT06768775 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 14156
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effects of consuming meat and eggs from regenerative/pastured versus conventional farming practices on health biomarkers in middle-aged adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: How does consumption of pastured animal products influence red blood cell omega-3 fatty acid levels, inflammatory markers, and metabolomic profiles compared to conventional animal products? What are the potential metabolic health benefits or risks associated with consuming animal products from regenerative farming practices? Researchers will compare participants consuming pastured meat and eggs to those consuming conventional meat and eggs to determine differences in health outcomes. Participants will: Consume study-provided chicken thighs, ground beef, ground pork, and eggs for 16 weeks. Attend clinic visits for blood, urine, and stool sample collection before and after the intervention. Complete dietary assessments to monitor compliance.

Conditions

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Keywords

Regenerative agriculture; Conventional farming; Fatty acid profiles; Omega-3; Inflammatory markers; Metabolomics; Pastured meat; Nutritional biomarkers; Diet intervention; Human health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Red Blood Cell (RBC) Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels

  Assessment of changes in red blood cell omega-3 fatty acid composition as a marker of cardiovascular health. Blood samples will be collected at baseline and after the 16-week intervention to measure levels using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC and LC/MS).

  Baseline and 16 weeks (end of intervention).

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Metabolomics Profile Analysis

  Baseline to Week 16 (End of Study)

Study Arms (2)

Pastured Livestock Products Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will consume meat and eggs sourced from regenerative/pastured farming practices. Weekly allocations include chicken (300-500g), beef (500-700g), pork (300-500g), and 8-12 eggs, depending on the habitual caloric intake of participants. These products are provided for the 16-week intervention, with adherence monitored through dietary logs and 24-hour recalls.

Dietary Supplement: Pastured Livestock Diet

Conventional Livestock Products Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will consume meat and eggs sourced from conventional farming practices. Weekly allocations include chicken (300-500g), beef (500-700g), pork (300-500g), and 8-12 eggs, depending on the habitual caloric intake of participants. These products are provided for the 16-week intervention, with adherence monitored through dietary logs and 24-hour recalls.

Dietary Supplement: Conventional Livestock Diet

Interventions

Pastured Livestock Diet DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants will consume a diet consisting of animal-source foods (chicken, beef, pork, and eggs) from regenerative/pastured farming practices. Foods will be provided weekly in specific quantities for a 16-week intervention. Adherence will be monitored through dietary logs and ASA24 dietary assessments.

Pastured Livestock Products Group

Conventional Livestock Diet DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants will consume a diet consisting of animal-source foods (chicken, ground, pork, and eggs) from conventional farming practices. Foods will be provided weekly in specific quantities for a 16-week intervention. Adherence will be monitored through dietary logs and ASA24 dietary assessments.

Conventional Livestock Products Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 30 Years - 65 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Only participants who self-identify as male or female are eligible for this study.
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 30 and 65 years. BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m². Weight stability within the last three months (loss or gain \< 4%). Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) ≤ 6.4%. Fasting plasma glucose concentration \< 126 mg/dL. Ability to understand and communicate in English or Spanish.

You may not qualify if:

• Use of medications known to affect study outcomes (e.g., NSAIDs, corticosteroids, anticoagulants) that cannot be discontinued temporarily.
• Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg without physician clearance. Unwillingness to forgo seafood consumption or omega-3 supplement intake during the study.
• Alcohol consumption \> 14 drinks per week. Tobacco product use within the last three months. Receipt of a COVID vaccine within the last two weeks. Engagement in high-level competitive exercise (e.g., triathlon, marathon, powerlifting).
• Diagnosed inflammatory diseases (e.g., autoimmune disorders, coeliac disease, arthritis).
• Diagnoses of active malignancy, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Use of antibiotics within the last 60 days. Pregnancy or planning pregnancy within the next month. Lactating women. Allergies to meat or eggs. Inability or unwillingness to comply with the study protocol, including adherence to study visits and dietary requirements.
• Dietary preferences that exclude meat or eggs (e.g., vegan, vegetarian, halal). Any condition that, in the opinion of the research team, makes the participant unsuitable for the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Utah State University: lead
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Center for Human Nutrition Studies

Logan, Utah, 84341, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• McAfee AJ, McSorley EM, Cuskelly GJ, Fearon AM, Moss BW, Beattie JA, Wallace JM, Bonham MP, Strain JJ. Red meat from animals offered a grass diet increases plasma and platelet n-3 PUFA in healthy consumers. Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan;105(1):80-9. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510003090.

  PMID: 20807460 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Related Info
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Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2025
• First Posted: January 10, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: September 21, 2025
• Study Completion: September 21, 2025
• Last Updated: October 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE

Locations

US (1)