4 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Although multiple clinical trials have been reported studying the effects of turmeric and turmeric-derived curcuminoid containing extract on pain by various study designs (including both acute and chronic pain), with the most consistent positive pain reduction benefits at turmeric or curcuminoid levels above normal dietary intake estimates, studies assessing the combination of black pepper and turmeric at culinary relevant levels for pain remediation benefits are needed. As black pepper is reported to 'enhance' the effects of co-consumed compounds, we are testing whether consumption of black pepper alters the pain alleviating effects of turmeric when consumed at levels representative of potential dietary intakes.
This study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, two-arm trial of N=94 apparently healthy men and women to be recruited at a single investigational center in Northeast Ohio. Subjects will attend three study visits. During Visit 1, subjects will be screened for participation (i.e., medical history, physical exam, routine blood work, background baseline diet). Over the next 12 weeks, subjects will attend Visits 2 (baseline) and 3 (week 12), wherein assessments of body weight, waist circumference, urinary ketones, serum glucose, insulin, liver enzymes as well as other biomarkers of metabolic health, quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire), and various visual analog scales (VAS) for appetite, satiety, and cravings will be made.
The objective of this project is to determine the extent to which eating black pepper together with vegetables increase the absorption of carotenoids (a class of important nutrients) in the vegetables such as beta-carotene.
As obesity rates worldwide continue to increase, there is a focus on identifying active food ingredients which increase metabolic rate which can be used as a dietary supplement in the treatment of overweight and obesity. Promising animal and cell studies have suggested a role for black pepper and an active component of black pepper, piperine, in energy expenditure. However, the effects of black pepper have not been determined in humans. The investigators hypothesis if that consumption of 1.5g black pepper (0.5g in each of three meals over one day) will result in an elevation in 24-h resting energy expenditure when contrasted to a control day (no black pepper, same diet intake).