RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

The Effect of Pectin Supplementation on Geriatric With Frailty: A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Dietary Intervention Study

Are you an older adult with early signs of frailty? We're exploring if a common dietary fibre, pectin (found in citrus peels), can help. This study aims to see if daily pectin intake, combined with whey protein and cocoa, can improve your gut health, reduce inflammation, and enhance your overall physical and mental well-being. Participants will take a daily supplement for four weeks, with one group receiving pectin and the other a placebo. We'll compare results on gut bacteria, physical abilities, and mood. This research could help us understand how diet can support healthy ageing and reduce frailty.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Nottingham

Enrolment target

Start

10 Feb 2025

Estimated completion

31 Mar 2026

Frailty at Older Adults Pre-Frailty Frailty Diet Dietary Fiber Systemic Inflammatory Response

What is this study about?

This study is investigating whether a common food fibre, called pectin, can help older adults who are showing early signs of frailty. Frailty is a condition where people become weaker and less able to cope with daily life, and it's a common concern as we get older. Pectin is a natural substance found in fruits like apples and citrus, and it's already a part of many people's diets in the UK.

The main idea behind this research is to see if adding pectin to your diet might improve your body's response to inflammation – which is when your body's immune system overreacts – and also change the helpful bacteria in your gut. Your gut bacteria play a big role in your overall health. We also want to find out if taking pectin can improve physical abilities, like how easily you can stand up from a chair, and how you feel generally, including your mood and quality of life.

To do this, we're asking healthy older adults who are showing mild signs of frailty to take part. For four weeks, they will add a powder to their milk each day. Half of the participants will get a powder containing pectin, along with whey protein and cocoa for flavour. The other half will get a placebo, which is just whey protein and cocoa (without the pectin). This way, we can compare the effects and see if pectin truly makes a difference. The results could help us understand new ways to support healthy ageing and reduce frailty through simple dietary changes.

Key takeaways

This study explores if pectin, a natural fibre, can help older adults with mild frailty.
It aims to improve gut health, reduce inflammation, and boost physical and mental well-being.
Participants will take a daily supplement (pectin or placebo) for four weeks.
Two brief hospital visits are required for health checks and samples.
Your participation helps to understand how diet can support healthy ageing.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for volunteers who are aged 65 or older. You should be generally healthy but beginning to show some early signs of frailty, which we'll check with a simple questionnaire. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) should be between 18.5 and 39.9, which is a healthy to overweight range.

However, there are some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. These include if you have certain gut conditions like IBS, Crohn's disease, or celiac disease, or if you've had major surgery on your digestive system. We also can't include you if you've recently taken antibiotics, antifungals, or certain types of gut-friendly supplements like probiotics or prebiotics within the last three months, as these can affect gut bacteria.

Additionally, if you're taking specific medications like immunosuppressants, or have a history of mental health conditions, neurological conditions (like epilepsy), or have shown bad reactions to probiotics/prebiotics in the past, this study might not be suitable for you. If you're currently trying a special weight-loss diet, or have taken part in another research study with invasive procedures recently, you also won't be able to participate.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 65 years old or older?
Do you have a BMI between 18.5 and 39.9?
Are you willing to complete questionnaires and provide samples?
Do you have early signs of frailty (we can help check this)?
Have you avoided antibiotics or gut-friendly supplements in the last 3 months?
Do you have any serious gut conditions or major recent surgeries?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be asked to visit our lab twice. Each visit will last about 90 minutes. Before your first visit, you'll undergo a medical check to make sure the study is right for you. For four weeks, you'll take a daily supplement. This supplement comes as a powder in individual sachets. You'll add one sachet a day to 150ml of milk and drink it straight away. You won't know if you're getting the pectin supplement or the placebo (which is just whey protein and cocoa) – this keeps the study fair.

At each of your two visits (once before you start the supplement and once after the four weeks), we'll ask you to provide a stool sample and a small blood sample. We'll also measure your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, height, and waist-to-hip ratio. You'll do some simple physical tests, like standing up from a chair and walking a short distance. Finally, you'll fill out some questionnaires about your quality of life, any feelings of depression or anxiety, and any gut symptoms you might have. The total duration of your active participation, including the supplement intake and two visits, will be approximately four weeks.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study might offer potential benefits, such as contributing valuable knowledge to understanding how diet can help manage frailty in older adults. You might also find personal benefits from the close health monitoring and attention to your diet. However, there's no guarantee of direct personal benefit from taking the supplement itself. You might experience mild side effects from the supplement, such as digestive upset, though pectin is generally well-tolerated. Giving blood can sometimes cause minor bruising or discomfort. Remember, your participation is completely voluntary, and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and it will not affect your routine medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University of Nottingham
Verified postcode
Nottingham, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is frailty?

Frailty means you're becoming a bit weaker and less able to bounce back from illnesses or stress, often showing up as you get older.

What is pectin?

Pectin is a natural fibre found in many fruits, like apples and citrus peels, and is commonly part of a healthy diet.

Will I know if I'm getting pectin or the placebo?

No, to keep the study fair, you won't know which supplement you're taking until after the study is over. It's called 'blinding'.

How long will I take the supplement?

You'll take the supplement once daily for four weeks.

Will this study help me personally?

While we hope to learn a lot, there's no guarantee of direct personal benefit from taking part in this research.

How to find out more

Noor K Al-Tameemi, PhD student candidate

noorkifahabdulhussein.al-tameemi@nottingham.ac.uk 0044 01158231149 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.