Does nutrition influence the immune system?
University Center for Naturopathy at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is looking for volunteers for a study on the effect of different diets on the immune system and intestinal flora
People with rheumatoid arthritis suffer from chronic joint inflammation. It is one of the rheumatic diseases, commonly known as "rheumatism" for short. Scientists suspect that diet can influence diseases with immune system disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. The University Center for Naturopathy and the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg are now conducting a joint study to examine the effect of different diets on the immune system in healthy people. The different diets include a vegan diet (containing no foods of animal origin) and a diet rich in meat. During the course of the study, the researchers are particularly interested in the immune parameters that are relevant for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 60 with a normal body mass index are being sought for the study. The prerequisite is a current diet with a mixed diet and the willingness to eat a vegan or meat-rich diet for four weeks. Vegetarians, vegans or smokers cannot take part. Other exclusion criteria include pregnancy or breastfeeding, regular use of medication (with the exception of hormonal contraceptives or iodide), pronounced allergies or an eating disorder.
The study lasts five weeks for each individual participant: One week with a normal mixed diet and then four weeks with either a meat-rich or vegan diet (random allocation). During the four weeks, the participants receive a free weekday lunch in the casino of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. In addition, the participants receive discounts at individual Freiburg restaurants during the study period. For the evaluation, a blood, urine and stool sample is required from the test persons at two points in time.
Interested parties can contact:
Manuel Hettich
Uni-Zentrum Naturheilkunde
Uniklinik Freiburg
Phone: 01515-2255375
manuel.hettich@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Further information on the study can be found here and here.
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