Impact of Lean Pork on Endothelial Function in Perimenopause
Eligible age
40–55 yrs
Accepts
Women
Locations
1 state
Healthy volunteers
Yes
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About this study
The goal of this study is to examine the impact of a diet high in fresh lean pork, compared to a plant-based diet, on cardiovascular function and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal women with overweight and obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood lipids, endothelial function, and blood pressure? 2. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood nitrate, cardiometabolic biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers, and vasomotor symptoms? Researchers will compare the diet high in pork to a plant-based diet to see if pork helps improve cardiovascular and mesopause symptoms. Participants will: * Consume both of the diets, each for 4 weeks, with a washout period between 2 and 6 weeks in between the diets trials * Visit the clinic 5 times with weekly meal pick ups during the diet trials * Undergo testing procedures including: weight and body composition, blood pressure and pulse, endothelial function using ultrasound of upper arm, microvascular blood flow, blood draws, physical activity measurements, and questionnaires.
Sponsor: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
You may qualify if…
- ✓ Are female
- ✓ Are between 40 and 55 years of age
- ✓ Have a BMI (a number calculated from participant height and weight) between 28 and45 kg/m2
- ✓ Are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles but have not gone longer than 12 consecutive months without a period
- ✓ Are experiencing severe vasomotor (menopause) symptoms
- ✓ Are doing less than 3 hours per week of structured exercise
- ✓ Have systolic blood pressure between 120 and 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 90 mmHg
- ✓ Have "sugary" hemoglobin called hemoglobin A1c less than or equal to 6.5%
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ Hysterectomy (partial or full) or oophorectomy
- ✕ Using hormone replacement therapy use and/or hormonal contraception use 6 months prior to study start
- ✕ Has systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg)
- ✕ Triglycerides ≥350 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥190 mg/dL, and/or taking a lipid-lowering medication -Diagnosed cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type 1 or 2), or endocrine- related disease (e.g. thyroid, PCOS), unstable gastrointestinal disease, kidney, liver, and/or pancreatic disease
- ✕ Diagnosed cancer (except skin cancer) in the last 5 years
- ✕ Taking \>1 blood pressure medication and/or taking 1 blood pressure medication for \<3 months
- ✕ Taking phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, anti-coagulants, corticosteroids, metformin, or insulin.
- ✕ Weight change ≥6.6 pounds in the past 3 months, actively trying to lose weight, or unwilling to remain weight stable throughout the study
Where it's recruiting
Baton Rouge
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT06976112 · last updated 2025-11-28