NCT05248737

Bioavailability of Vitamin D(25(OH)D) and Omega-3 Fatty Acid (DHA) Enhanced Chicken

Empowering and Transforming the US Broiler Production for Growth, Profit and Sustainability

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 84 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cornell University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of the research is to evaluate if chicken or eggs obtained from chickens that are fed a diet that contains omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA), or vitamin D (as 25(OH)D) provides additional health benefits by improving the status of omega-3 fatty acids or 25(OH)D in healthy adults who eat this bioenhanced chicken or eggs.

Detailed description

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines advocate intake of lean proteins (such as chicken and fish) while limiting intake of saturated fat. Chicken contains similar protein to beef or pork but has less saturated fat. However, chicken, like other terrestrial meats, has little omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and relatively little vitamin D. Vitamin D insufficiency is common in the US and globally, and has been linked to a number of adverse health outcomes. Vitamin D is ingested primarily from fortified dairy products, but recent animal studies have increased the D content of pork and beef, and the DHA content of chicken and of eggs produced from bioenhanced chickens. Moreover, sunlight exposure alone can enhance the 25(OH)D content of chicken. Notably, supplemental 25(OH)D is more effective than vitamin D at improving vitamin D status in humans, but little is known about the bioavailability of 25(OH)D or DHA/EPA enhanced chicken (muscle) or in enhanced eggs produced from supplemented chickens.

Conditions

• Nutrition, Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	DHA/EPA fortified chicken plus Placebo	For participants who received DHA/EPA fortified chicken
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	non-25(OH)D fortified chicken/eggs plus vitamin D3 supplement	Provided to participants in the group where they consumed non-fortified chicken/eggs
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	non-DHA bio-enhanced chicken plus supplement DHA Omega-3	Used in the crossover part of the study given to the group who did not received DHA bio-enhanced chicken
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	25(OH)D bioenhanced chicken and eggs plus placebo	participants will receive 25(OH)D bioenhanced chicken and eggs plus a placebo as a dietary intervention
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Dietary Supplement: DHA/EPA fortified eggs plus Placebo	For the participants who received DHA/EPA fortified eggs
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	non-DHA bio-enhanced eggs plus supplement DHA Omega-3	for the participants who received non-DHA bio-enhanced eggs plus supplement DHA Omega-3
OTHER	non-25(OH)D fortified chicken/eggs plus placebo	Provided to participants in the group where they consumed non-fortified chicken/eggs + placebo pills

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-12-04
• Primary completion: 2024-12-11
• Completion: 2026-05-30
• First posted: 2022-02-21
• Last updated: 2026-04-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States