Obesity, Iron Regulation and Colorectal Cancer Risk

Summary

Obesity is an independent risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) although the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Dietary nutrients play a key role in both the prevention and promotion of CRC. While iron is an essential nutrient, excess iron is associated with carcinogenesis. Unlike the systemic compartment, the intestinal lumen lacks an efficient system to regulate iron. In conditions when dietary iron malabsorption and intestinal inflammation co-exist, greater luminal iron is associated with increased intestinal inflammation and a shift in the gut microbiota to more pro-inflammatory strains. However, treatments designed to reduce luminal, including diet restriction and chelation, are associated with lower intestinal inflammation and the colonization of protective gut microbes. Obesity is associated with inflammation-induced, hepcidin-mediated, iron metabolism dysfunction characterized by iron deficiency and dietary iron malabsorption. Obesity is also linked to intestinal inflammation. Currently, there is a fundamental gap in understanding how altered iron metabolism impacts CRC risk in obesity.

The investigator's objective is to conduct a crossover controlled feeding trial of: 1) a "Typical American" diet with "high" heme/non-heme iron", 2) a "Typical American" diet with "low" iron, and 3) a Mediterranean diet with "high" non heme iron and examine effects on colonic and systemic inflammation and the gut microbiome.

Conditions

• Colon Inflammation
• Iron Malabsorption
• Obesity
• Diet Modification

Interventions

OTHER

High heme iron diet

A "Typical American" diet with "high" heme/non-heme iron" (18 mg total). Diet is isocaloric and has a macronutrient composition of total fat 35%, carbohydrates 50%, protein 15% of calories and fiber 9g/1000 calories. Subjects consumes the diet for 3 weeks with a minimum 3 week washout before the next diet.

OTHER

Low iron diet

A "Typical American" diet with "low" heme/non-heme iron" (8 mg total). Diet is isocaloric and has a macronutrient composition of total fat 35%, carbohydrates 50%, protein 15% of calories and fiber 9g/1000 calories. Subjects consumes the diet for 3 weeks with a minimum 3 week washout before the next diet.

OTHER

Plant-based high non-heme iron diet

A plant-based diet with "high" non-heme iron" (18 mg total). Diet is isocaloric and has a macronutrient composition of total fat 35%, carbohydrates 50%, protein 15% of calories and fiber 9g/1000 calories. Subjects consumes the diet for 3 weeks with a minimum 3 week washout before the next diet.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• American Cancer Society, Inc.

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Illinois at Chicago

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD · University of Illinois at Chicago

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

55 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-07-15

Primary Completion

2018-11-30

Completion

2019-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations