Innovative interdisciplinary nutrition trials aim to expand holistic health knowledge

06 Jun 2024 --- Clinical trials at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK, draw expertise from six labs in NUTRAN (Nutrition Trials at Northumbria) to explore the impact of nutrition on human health and performance. Nutrition Insight meets with Ellen Smith, a research fellow based within NUTRAN’s brain performance and nutrition research center. 

She explains that NUTRAN combines the expertise from research in the brain, sports, vascular, sleep, OMICS (investigating the human microbiome) and biological labs. 

“Essentially, what that means is that the trials we are able to design at Northumbria in collaboration with all of these different labs are much more extensive than what we would do singularly in each lab. We can look at the effects of nutrition or nutritional interventions on a wider range of health outcomes.” 

She highlights that NUTRAN aims to expand holistic knowledge of what happens in the body after consuming a specific food product or supplement. 

“Do you see shifts in your microbiome, and do you also see changes in cognitive performance? Can we better understand the mechanisms behind any cognitive enhancements or reductions or whatever they might be? We understand more by having those biomarkers that back you up there.” 

Brain and performance nutrition 
The brain lab investigates the impact of nutrition on brain function, psychological health and well-being, determining how diet and nutrition can support optimal brain health across the lifespan. 

The research center uses several data collection techniques, such as cognitive assessment platforms like the Computerized Mental Performance Assessment and Cognimapp, a smartphone cognitive and mood assessment app. In addition, the team uses neuroimaging techniques and psychobiological assessments of stress, including autonomic nervous system and endocrine measures. 

Smith details: “We look at the different effects that nutritional interventions such as nutrients, extracts, whole foods and diets have on brain or cognitive function, assessed via different cognitive tasks, mood, which is assessed by different questionnaires, or we can look at responses to psychological stress. We use Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and similar devices to measure changes in cerebral blood flow during test performance.” 

For example, in one of her Ph.D. trials, Smith investigated resveratrol, an antioxidant naturally found in red wine. 

NUTRAN combines expertise from its brain, sports, vascular, sleep, OMICS and biological labs.“We looked at using expertise from the brain lab on cognitive performance, mood and cerebral blood flow. However, we were also interested in determining whether resveratrol could reduce inflammation. We took blood samples and collaborated with the biological lab to measure those in-house,” she continues. 

“But we also looked at intestinal microbiota. We collaborated with the OMICS lab to assess stool and a urinary metabolome.” 

Interdisciplinary research 
Rather than only examining cognition or certain biomarkers, the cooperation at NUTRAN combines expertise to get a bigger picture of what happens in the body after taking a supplement or specific food product, considering multiple health outcomes. 

“NUTRAN was brought about by recognizing that there were lots of different people at Northumbria looking at nutrition or nutrition-related projects in a slightly different way,” highlights Smith. “By making it a more formalized group with email chains and such, you can physically get in touch with people and know who is interested in what in a different department.” 

“We’re all based within the same faculty, although we’re trying to expand that further. My vision is to involve more public health people and go beyond that. For example, I would look at people within the IT departments to work together on our massive amount of data and try to get these projects running really well.” 

While she has a background in psychology, she highlights that many other researchers in NUTRAN are trained in applied sciences, such as biology and natural sciences. 

Similarly, the recently launched multi-partner European consortium Zero Hidden Hunger EU aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, which it highlights is needed to address complex public health challenges. 

Expanding clinical research 
Smith highlights that the trials conducted at Northumbria University are always gold-standard trials — placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention trials in which participants are randomized to treatment. 

“That means we can look at these different aspects of human health simultaneously. Quite often, it doesn’t require additional time for the participants; if we’re getting them in any way, you can do a few extra measures, giving us a much better idea.” 

“There has to be a real reason behind taking measurements, but it gives us a much wider understanding of what’s going on taking these supplements.” 

By Jolanda van Hal