Plant-based versus animal-based oral nutritional supplements
Official title: PlAnt Vs Animal Based Oral Nutritional Supplements: Patients' Opinions and Nutritional Outcomes: A Multicenter Pilot Feasibility Study
Run by Radboud University Medical Center · NCT07399886 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We're testing whether plant-based nutrition drinks work as well as animal-based drinks for hospitalized adults at high risk of malnutrition.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Radboud University Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Nijmegen, Gelderland and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 10, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | November 1, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 11, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07399886 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Hospitalized adults (≥18 years) treated at Radboudumc or Maastricht UMC+ who are judged at high risk of malnutrition and advised to take at least two bottles of ONS daily are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are tube- or parenteral-nutrition-dependent, receiving only palliative care, lactose- or soy-intolerant, strictly vegan, unable to follow study procedures, or who used ONS in the prior six months are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Hospitalized adult patients at two Dutch university medical centers will receive one of two oral nutritional supplements (a plant-based Fresubin vanilla or an animal-based Fresubin Yodrink raspberry) and be followed for three months. Baseline and three-month measurements include weight, height, body composition by bioelectrical impedance (BIA), muscle thickness by lumify ultrasound, handgrip strength, SPPB and TUG physical performance tests, quality-of-life and dietary questionnaires, and a 3-day food diary. Participants will log daily ONS intake, be contacted at one and two months to review intake and any changes, and complete an interview after three months about their experiences. The trial focuses on feasibility and physiological and functional nutrition outcomes in usual-care inpatient settings among patients advised to take at least two ONS bottles daily.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If plant-based ONS perform similarly to animal-based ONS, patients could receive comparable nutrition while allowing hospitals to offer more sustainable, lower-carbon nutrition options.
How similar studies have gone: Direct head-to-head comparisons of plant- versus animal-based ONS in hospitalized patients are limited, so evidence for equivalent clinical benefit is still sparse.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical patients with cancer and lung diseases, cardiology patients, patients with cardiothoracic surgery, and orthopaedic patients age ≥18 years, and treated at Radboudumc or Maastricht UMC+. * Patients who have been advised at least 2 bottles of ONS daily based on a high risk of malnutrition (MUST≥2, PG-SGA-SF≥ 9) and/or by the dietitians expertise. * Written informed consent (IC) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who are or become dependent on tube or parenteral nutrition * Patients where life-extending therapy is no longer possible * Unable to follow up study instructions * Lactose intolerance * Soy allergy/intolerance * Vegan diet
Where it's running
-
Radboud university medical center
Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands Recruiting -
Maastricht University Medical Center
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Maud Reintjes, MSc — Radboud University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Manon van den Berg, PhD
- Email: manon.vandenberg@radboudumc.nl
- Phone: +31 6 12 44 00 88
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.