How vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous diets relate to blood levels of brain proteins NfL and GFAP

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is an observational, likely cross-sectional study enrolling healthy adults aged 18–40 who have followed a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous diet for at least one year. Participants provide consent and undergo blood draws to measure neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) concentrations. Laboratory immunoassays will quantify biomarker levels and statistical analyses will compare levels across diet groups while controlling for key confounders such as BMI, recent infection, and medication use. Exclusion criteria remove individuals with neurological disease, recent significant illness or surgery, pregnancy, eating disorders, excessive alcohol use, or prolonged PPI use to reduce bias from non-dietary factors.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy individuals who have followed a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous diet for at least one consecutive year
* Aged between 18 and 40 years
* Provision of written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diagnose neurological disorders (e.g. neurodegenerative, inflammatory, autoimmune, infectious, vascular)
* Eating disorders
* Excessive alcohol consumption
* Pregnancy
* Recent moderate to severe infection (within the past 12 weeks) , including SARS-CoV-2
* Recent trauma, injury, or surgery (within the past 12 weeks)
* Significant BMI fluctuations (\>5 points) within the last year
* Patients who have been using Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for an extended period (e.g., 1 month).

Where it's running

• Christian-Doppler-Klinik
  Salzburg, State of Salzburg, Austria Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Tobias Moser, Prof.
• Email: t.moser@salk.at
• Phone: +435725534720

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.