Daily kimchi versus cabbage for gut health in healthy adults
Kimchi and Gut Health - Kimchi Effects on the Human Gut Microbiome
This will see if eating kimchi daily changes gut bacteria and blood markers of gut and cardiometabolic health in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 19 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of California, Davis Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Davis, California and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07435831 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Healthy adults with BMI 25–30 are assigned to eat 60 g per day of either fermented cabbage (kimchi) or non-fermented cabbage for three weeks. Participants make up to five brief visits at the UC Davis Ragle Human Nutrition Center and provide blood and stool samples at the start and end of the feeding period. Investigators will analyze changes in stool microbiome composition, metabolic outputs, and blood biomarkers related to gut and cardiometabolic health, and participants will keep occasional food records. Antibiotic and probiotic use are controlled by exclusion and washout requirements to limit outside influence on the microbiome.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults with BMI 25–30 who rarely eat kimchi (three or fewer times per week) and are willing to eat the assigned food daily, attend brief visits in Davis, CA, and avoid probiotics and recent antibiotics.
Not a fit: People with diagnosed digestive disorders (IBS, IBD, Crohn's), recent antibiotic use, allergies to cabbage or kimchi ingredients, daily kimchi consumers, or those who cannot attend in-person visits are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could inform simple dietary recommendations to improve gut microbial balance and related health markers.
How similar studies have performed: Prior small studies of fermented foods have shown that they can alter gut microbes and sometimes biomarkers, but the specific effects of kimchi versus unfermented cabbage remain relatively untested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * BMI of 25-30 kg/m2 * No or occasional consumption of kimchi (3 or fewer times per week) * Willing to eat study food every day for 3 weeks * Willing to participate in study protocols Exclusion Criteria: * Allergy to cabbage and /or cruciferous family vegetables * Allergy to kimchi ingredients such as shellfish and fish sauce * Daily consumption of kimchi * Diagnosed digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastrointestinal inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or conditions such as Crohn's disease * Previous bowel surgery that disrupts the digestive flow, motility or gastric emptying process * Antibiotics used in the 2 months prior to enrollment * Unwillingness to discontinue probiotics during study and washout period * Active diagnosis and/or treatment for cancer
Where this trial is running
Davis, California and 1 other locations
- Ragle Human Nutrition Center — Davis, California, United States (Recruiting)
- UC Davis Ragle Human Nutrition Research Center — Davis, California, United States (Recruiting)
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.