Walnut Immune Study

Investigators are looking for older men and post-menopausal women aged 55-75 years 2. Have a BMI of 25-32 3. Being able to commute to Loma Linda University 4. Not taking medication or supplements that affect immunity 
Exclusion Criteria:1.  Intolerance or allergy to walnuts  2. Regular intake of walnuts and/or other nuts (>3 ounces/week) 3. Immune system insufficiency or disease 4. Using immune boosting supplements 5. Exposure to antibiotics and corticoids immediately prior to the study 6. Participants with uncontrolled chronic diseases and relevant psychiatric illnesses, including major depression, will not be included in the study. 7. Flu vaccination or COVID-19 booster within the past three months

Participants must be willing to commit for a total duration of 12 weeks and to attend four office visits. During this time, participants are expected to attend all scheduled meetings and visits. Participants must be equally willing to consume walnuts or abstain from walnuts and other nuts, while continuing their usual diet and other routines or lifestyle habits.  Participants are expected to visit the clinic 4 times during the study (about once a month). At these visits, you may be given walnuts depending on the group you have been randomly assigned to. You will be randomly assigned to either Group 1: Walnuts (where you will be asked to eat 1 or 2 ounces of walnuts daily depending on your habitual calorie intake) or Group 2 (where you will be asked to continue your habitual diet and abstain from walnuts and other nuts). You will be randomly assigned based on your age and gender using a random number table. Body composition measurements which mean measuring your weight, body fat mass and muscle mass using an InBody machine will be done, at the baseline clinic visit, and week 12 visit by a trained clinician. During two of these visits participants will be fasting (this means that you must have nothing to eat and drink except water after 8 p.m. the evening before) to provide blood samples. About 3 tablespoons of blood will be collected during the blood draw visits. During two of the visits, you will be asked to provide stool and urine samples.

You can let us know if you are interested in participating in the study by either of the two ways:

1. Send us an email to walnutstudy@llu.edu
2. Call us at (909) 558-8382 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Please let us know the days and the time you will be available to take calls.
 

The study will last for 12 weeks (3 months) from start to finish. 

There is NO cost to the participants for any of the study-associated intervention or tests.

The committee at Loma Linda University that reviews human studies (Institutional Review Board) has determined that participating in this study could expose you to minimal risk. Possible discomfort may result from the blood drawings. This includes slight pain and minor bleeding or bruising at the point of needle insertion. Breach of confidentiality is also a potential risk during the study. Risks also include allergic reactions to walnuts.

You may or may not benefit personally from the intervention.  However, it is expected that this study will increase knowledge about the effect of walnuts on immunity and reduce the number and severity of upper respiratory tract infections. Therefore, by participating you will be helping us gain a deeper understanding of the biological functions of walnuts and contributing towards a lasting benefit for humanity.

Your results from a variety of tests will be provided to you upon completion of the study.

Participants will receive $200-$300 as compensation at the end of the study upon successful completion of all study procedures.

Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision on whether to participate in or withdraw at any time from the study will not affect your ongoing medical care or relationship to your doctors and will not involve any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

Dates will be provided soon.