Lean Pork Diet Compared With Plant Diet in Perimenopausal Women

Trial details

Who runs it

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Trial code

NCT06976112

Record updated

22 September 2026

Original description

The goal of this study is to examine the impact of a diet high in fresh lean pork, compared to a plant-based diet, on cardiovascular function and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal women with overweight and obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are:Read full original descriptionShow less

Effects of Lean Pork Intake on Endothelial Function and Vasomotor Symptoms in Perimenopausal Women

The goal of this study is to examine the impact of a diet high in fresh lean pork, compared to a plant-based diet, on cardiovascular function and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal women with overweight and obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood lipids, endothelial function, and blood pressure? 2. How does a diet high in pork, compared to a plant-based diet, affects blood nitrate, cardiometabolic biomarkers, inflammatory biomarkers, and vasomotor symptoms?

Researchers will compare the diet high in pork to a plant-based diet to see if pork helps improve cardiovascular and mesopause symptoms.

Participants will:

* Consume both of the diets, each for 4 weeks, with a washout period between 2 and 6 weeks in between the diets trials * Visit the clinic 5 times with weekly meal pick ups during the diet trials * Undergo testing procedures including: weight and body composition, blood pressure and pulse, endothelial function using ultrasound of upper arm, microvascular blood flow, blood draws, physical activity measurements, and questionnaires.

Inclusion: Are female; Are between 40 and 55 years of age; Have a BMI (a number calculated from participant height and weight) between 28 and45 kg/m2; Are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles but have not gone longer than 12 consecutive months without a period; Are experiencing severe vasomotor (menopause) symptoms; Are doing less than 3 hours per week of structured exercise; Have systolic blood pressure between 120 and 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 90 mmHg; Have "sugary" hemoglobin called hemoglobin A1c less than or equal to 6.5%; Are willing and able to refrain from using oral mouth wash for the duration of the study because the alcohol in mouth wash inhibits nitrate synthesis; Are willing and able to comply with both the study diets; Are willing to collect blood for future research; Can read, speak, and understand English.

Exclusion: Using hormone replacement therapy use and/or hormonal contraception use 6 months prior to study start; Taking >1 blood pressure medication and/or taking 1 blood pressure medication for <3 months; Taking phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, anti-coagulants, corticosteroids, metformin, or insulin; Diagnosed cancer (except skin cancer) in the last 5 years; Food allergies or other reasons preventing consumption of study foods with both study diets; Triglycerides ≥350 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥190 mg/dL, and/or taking a lipid-lowering medication -Diagnosed cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type 1 or 2), or endocrine- related disease (e.g. thyroid, PCOS), unstable gastrointestinal disease, kidney, liver, and/or pancreatic disease; Hysterectomy (partial or full) or oophorectomy; Has systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg); Weight change ≥6.6 pounds in the past 3 months, actively trying to lose weight, or unwilling to remain weight stable throughout the study; Current smoking or vaping, Binge and/or heavy drinker.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06976112