Cranberry for gut and metabolic health in adults with overweight or obesity
Effects of Cranberry on Gut and Metabolic Health
This study will test whether drinking a cranberry beverage can improve blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, and gut microbiota in adults with overweight or obesity who have metabolic risk factors.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 73 (estimated) |
| Ages | 25 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Laval University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Québec, Quebec) |
| Trial ID | NCT07460856 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial will enroll overweight and obese adults with metabolic risk factors and have each participant consume a cranberry beverage and a matched placebo for two 12-week periods separated by a 4-week washout. Primary outcomes include measures of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, blood lipid concentrations, and analyses of gut microbiota composition and function, along with markers of intestinal integrity. Participants will be randomized to the order of interventions and both participants and study staff will be blinded to beverage assignment. Key exclusions include use of antidiabetic or lipid‑lowering medications, recent major surgery or bariatric procedures, regular probiotic or polyphenol supplement use, excessive alcohol intake, and cranberry aversion.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with a BMI of 25–40 kg/m2 who meet at least one metabolic criterion (elevated fasting insulin >60 pmol/L, fasting glucose 5.5–6.9 mmol/L, HbA1c 5.7–6.4%, or fasting triglycerides >1.35 mmol/L) and who are not taking medications or supplements that affect study outcomes are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People taking antidiabetic or cholesterol‑lowering medications, those with recent bariatric surgery or major surgery, regular probiotic or polyphenol supplement users, heavy alcohol consumers, or anyone with cranberry aversion are unlikely to be eligible or to derive benefit in this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, cranberry supplementation could improve glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles while favorably shifting the gut microbiota, potentially lowering cardiometabolic risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies of berries and polyphenol-rich foods have shown modest improvements in metabolic markers and shifts in gut microbiota, but long-term randomized crossover trials specifically testing cranberry beverages in humans remain limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * body mass index between 25 and 40 kg/m2 * at least one of the following criteria: fasting plasma insulin \>60 pmol/L, fasting glycemia between 5.5 and 6.9 mmol/L, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of 5.7- 6.4% and/or fasting triglyceride \>1.35 mmol/L. Exclusion Criteria: * to have aversion to cranberry products * regularly drinking alcohol (\>2 glasses/day) * having a significant change in body weight in the past 3 months (±5% of their body weight) due to bariatric surgery or other conditions * taking medication which may affect the study outcomes (i.e. antidiabetic and/or cholesterol or lipid-lowering medications and/or glucocorticosteroid in supraphysiological doses and/or anti-obesity medications) * taking regular probiotics and prebiotics (including fruit/berry polyphenol supplements) in the past 3 months * having eating disorders * had undergone major surgery 3 months prior to the study or if they had one planned * if they had intestinal malabsorption, cirrhosis or chronic kidney disease * being pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
Where this trial is running
Québec, Quebec
- INAF, Université Laval — Québec, Quebec, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Julie Marois, M.Sc.
- Email: julie.marois@fsaa.ulaval.ca
- Phone: 1-418-656-5258
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.