Clinical trials

This 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will examine whether daily supplementation with the Lab4P probiotic can improve cognitive performance and metabolic health in overweight adults aged 18 to 40 with impaired glucose tolerance, a preclinical condition where blood glucose regulation is mildly disrupted. Seventy participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Lab4P or a placebo. The study will assess changes in memory, executive function, and processing speed, along with blood glucose control, cardiovascular function, cholesterol levels, body composition, and markers of inflammation. The study will also analyse changes in the gut microbiome and evaluate the safety and tolerability of the probiotic.

The aim of this clinical trial is to determine if resistance training and a newly developed plant-based nutritional supplement can improve the symptoms and musculoskeletal health of perimenopausal women. The main questions it aims to evaluate are: 1. Can resistance training and the nutritional supplement - both independently and in combination - improve perimenopausal symptoms (e.g. cognition, mood, sleep) and musculoskeletal outcomes (e.g. strength, muscle mass)? 2. What are the acute effects of the nutritional supplement on cognitive function and mood in perimenopausal women, and is this response altered following long-term intake (12 weeks)? 3. What mechanisms may be contributing to the results? Participants will be split into four groups to allow the researchers to answer the above questions. These are: 1. The nutritional supplement + resistance training 2. The nutritional supplement only 3. The placebo supplement (A look alike capsule that contains no active ingredients) and resistance training 4. The Placebo supplement only. Participants will: * Take their allocated supplement daily and perform home-based strength exercise 3 times per week (for exercise groups), for 12 weeks. * Attend the laboratory at the beginning and end of the 12 weeks to assess cognitive function and mood following acute intake of the supplement. * Attend the laboratory every 4 weeks during the 12 week period, for assessment of cognitive function, symptom severity and muscle health. * Provide a blood sample at each visit for assessment of mechanistic pathways.

The proposed project will evaluate the synergistic effects of a nutritional formulation, 'Think Tank' on cognitive performance following exposure to a psychological and physical stressor. Adopting a double-blind repeated measures cross-over design, middle-aged females (40-60 years) will be recruited to take part in a two-stage research study that will examine whether the formulation enhances cognitive performance and subjective well-being following the challenge of a stressor, compared to placebo. Cognitive assessments will examine the impact of the nutritional formulation on working memory, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control. The study will also assess physiological (heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol) and subjective (well-being, anxiety, positive and negative mood, stress) markers of stress reactivity. The study will also explore levels sleep quality, mental and physical fatigue, effort, productivity, and perceived impact of the intervention.

This study investigates the cognitive effects of Ārepa, a blackcurrant-based drink, under simulated high-altitude conditions (4,500m normobaric hypoxia for \~180 minutes). Using a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover design, participants will consume either the nootropic blackcurrant-based drink or a taste-matched placebo. Cognitive testing (\~80 minutes) includes Trail-making, Stroop, N-back, Serial 7s/3s, and RVIP tasks. Physiological measures (heart rate, SpO₂, blood) and biomarkers (MAO-B, BDNF, hsCRP, S100B, Prolactin, C3G, Sarmentosin) will be assessed. Scales will evaluate mood, wellbeing, and perceived effects. The aim is to determine if the nootropic drink can support cognitive function in hypoxic environments.

The link between what people eat and how it affects faecal output (poo) has been understudied. Most of the research that has looked at the link between diet, bowel movements and overall health has studied different types of fibre extracted from foods (e.g., fibre extracted from carrots), rather than foods in the form that they are consumed. It is necessary for scientists to investigate the relationship between food as people usual eat it (e.g., a carrot) and bowel movements, as this information is key to understanding the relationship between what people eat and overall health. The investigators would like to understand the relationship between intake of certain foods and faecal output. This will help to develop a chart, similar to the United Kingdom National Health Service urine colour hydration chart. The chart will allow people to know, by looking at their poo, whether they are eating enough of the foods that will keep them healthy. By monitoring and measuring participants' bowel movements, and providing information about diet, participants will provide the data we need for this research.