NCT06225648 Threonine Requirement in Adults >60 Years of Age
| NCT ID | NCT06225648 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | The Hospital for Sick Children |
| Condition | Healthy |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 40 participants |
| Start Date | 2024-02-03 |
| Primary Completion | 2025-09-30 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 40 participants in total. It began in 2024-02-03 with a primary completion date of 2025-09-30.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Threonine is an essential amino acid and must be obtained from the diet. The body's capacity to maintain adequate mucin synthesis is directly related to the bioavailability of certain amino acids, including threonine, serine and proline (1). Moreover, the rate of mucin synthesis has been demonstrated to be directly related to the availability of dietary threonine in healthy rats (2) and piglets (3,4). Intestinal inflammation is known to increase gastrointestinal threonine uptake and mucin synthesis in enterally fed minipigs (5). Additionally, in animals, mucin function/barrier has been shown to decline with age, leaving them more susceptible to bacterial penetration. Thus, with advancing age (6), a higher dietary supply of threonine may be needed for maintaining intestinal mucosal health. Despite this, the current threonine requirement is based on studies conducted exclusively in young adults. Thus, there is a need to determine the threonine requirement directly in older adults.
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.
Contact & Investigator
Glenda Courtney-Martin, MSc, PhD, RD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
The Hospital for Sick Children
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06225648 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 60 Years or older, up to 90 Years, studying Healthy. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT06225648 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06225648 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at alyssa..paoletti@sickkids.ca for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06225648 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Toronto, Canada.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06225648 clinical trial?
NCT06225648 is sponsored by The Hospital for Sick Children. The principal investigator is Glenda Courtney-Martin, MSc, PhD, RD at The Hospital for Sick Children. The trial plans to enroll 40 participants.