Edible Insects: Good for the Gut and the Globe - Trial NCT06397924

Timeline & Enrollment

Primary Outcome

Examine the impact that consuming 4 grams of cricket-derived chitin daily for 30 days has on the gut microbiota, intestinal and systemic markers of inflammation, and symptom severity and quality of life in individuals with IBS.

Summary

Edible insects have been eaten by people throughout human history and are consumed today
 across the globe. Insects are also currently being incorporated into a number of food
 products in the United States, Canada, and Europe due to their unique nutritional and
 sustainability attributes. Insects have been touted as an environmental alternative to
 conventional meat products, but they are unique in containing dietary fiber. The
 investigators have recently demonstrated in a population of healthy individuals that two
 weeks of consuming 25 g/day cricket powder may be associated with prebiotic effects by
 stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium in the gut. In addition, participants had reduced
 inflammatory markers in the blood after the cricket intervention. Crickets and other edible
 insects contain a unique form of fiber called chitin. They would like to explore whether
 chitin may be responsible for these previously observed effects and particularly if chitin
 consumption can mitigate symptoms and inflammation associated with the gastrointestinal
 disorder Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This project aims to examine the impact of consuming
 4 grams of cricket-derived chitin daily for 30 days on the gut microbiota, intestinal and
 systemic markers of inflammation, and symptom severity and quality of life in individuals
 with IBS.

ICD-10 Classifications