Registry update — unassessed
Effect of a Pulse-based USDA-diet on Gut Microbial Metabolites and Biomarkers of Healthspan: A 18-week Randomized Controlled Crossover Feeding Study in Older Adults
Trial registry update: COMPLETED. No results reported in the supplied registry record.
RCTMinor significance
What this changes
The finding has not established an approved change to our evidence assessment.
Source date: Sep 17, 2026 · Discovered: Sep 17, 2026 · Assessed: — · Research update
What it does not prove
- The abstract does not report actual results—only the study design and hypothesis. No effect sizes, statistical significance, or outcome data are provided, making it impossible to determine whether the intervention had any measurable impact on the measured biomarkers.
- The crossover design, while reducing between-participant variability, does not establish causation and cannot isolate whether observed changes result from the dietary intervention itself, microbiota changes, or other factors.
- The study's focus on biomarkers rather than clinical endpoints means it cannot demonstrate that these changes translate to improved healthspan, reduced chronic disease risk, or longevity in humans.
Extracted from supplied source material; model confidence is not a measured probability of correctness.
Study details
- Design
- Rct
- Sample size
- —
- Duration
- 18 months
- Population
- Older adults
- Primary outcome
- Effect on glycemic control, body composition, immunometabolic flexibility, and comprehensive panel of ~500 biomarkers of health including gut microbial metabolites
- Effect size
- —
- Significance
- Not reported
- Journal
- South Dakota State University
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
Sources
Primary source
- South Dakota State University ↗Clinical trial
Recorded source passages
Abstract or registry material supplied for assessment; source version 1. This is not a claim of full-text review.
Effect of a Pulse-based USDA-diet on Gut Microbial Metabolites and Biomarkers of Healthspan: A 18-week Randomized Controlled Crossover Feeding Study in Older Adults
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.
pulses are rich in micronutrients, and dietary fibers, making them ideal for microbiome-stimulating, nutrient-dense, healthful dietary patterns
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.
Source versions
Assessment history
Discussion (0)
One thread per scientific event, no matter how many outlets covered it.
Sign in to join the discussion.
No comments yet
Be the first to weigh in on this evidence.