Threonine Requirement in Adults >60 Years of Age

Launched by THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN · Jan 24, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how much threonine, an important amino acid that our bodies need from food, older adults require to stay healthy. Threonine plays a key role in maintaining gut health by supporting the production of mucin, which helps protect the intestines. Since most of the existing research on threonine has focused on younger adults, this study aims to find out the specific needs of people aged 60 to 90 years to help improve their intestinal health as they age.

To be eligible for the trial, participants should be generally healthy, between 60 and 90 years old, and willing to provide consent and have blood drawn for testing. Those with certain chronic illnesses, significant weight changes, or who consume excessive caffeine or alcohol may not qualify. If you participate, you can expect to follow a specific diet and help researchers understand how threonine affects your health, which could benefit older adults in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Consent provided
• • Aged 60 to 90 years old
• • In good general health as evidenced by medical history, physical health and blood draw
• • Fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), urea, creatinine
• • Willingness to participate in the study.
• • BMI \<30 kg/m2.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Presence of chronic disease and/or acute illness known to affect protein/amino acid metabolism (e.g. HIV, diabetes, cancer, liver or kidney disease, acute cold or flu)
• • Taking medications known to affect protein/AA metabolism (e.g. steroids)
• • Inability to tolerate the diet (i.e. allergy)
• • Significant weight loss during the past month or consumption of weight reducing diets.
• • Significant caffeine consumption (\>2 cups per day)
• • Significant consumption of alcohol (\>1 drink per day i.e. 1 beer or ½ glass of wine).
• • Unwilling to have blood drawn from a venous access, or using a ventilated hood indirect calorimeter for the purposes of the study.