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Dried Plums and Immune Function in Postmenopausal Women

This study is looking at how eating dried plums (prunes) might affect the immune system in women aged 60-75 who have gone through menopause. We already know dried plums can help with bone health in postmenopausal women, and this research aims to understand how. Specifically, it will investigate if dried plums change how your immune cells work, if they affect the helpful bacteria in your gut, and if your vitamin D levels play a role in these effects. You would either eat your normal diet or add 50 grams of dried plums (about 5-6 prunes) to your diet daily for four-week periods. The study will measure changes in certain immune cells (T helper 17 cells) and other immune markers to see the impact of dried plums. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 30 participants.

Study design
This interventional study will involve 30 women, comparing their immune responses when eating a normal diet versus a diet supplemented with dried plums.
What's involved
You would consume your normal diet or supplement it with dried plums for four-week periods over 3-4 months, and complete 5 study visits.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Immune markers will be measured at the end of each four-week treatment period.

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NCT07222111

Prebiotics (Dried Plum) and Immune Function in Postmenopausal Women

Recruiting
NAAges 60–75InterventionalBasic science
Indiana University
~30 participants
Updated 2025-10-29 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Dried plums

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in Circulating T Helper (Th)17 Cells
Measured over Change from baseline to the end of each 4-week arm of the study
+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

T Cell Response to Dried Plum
Vitamin D Influence on Immune Response
Dried Plum and Immune Function

Explore related trials

Postmenopausal

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Indiana1

Who to contact

Brenda J. Smith, Ph.D.
[email protected]
317-278-5150
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

women 60-75 years of age at the start of the study;
12 or more consecutive months without a menstrual period;
willing to include dried plums in their daily diet and collect fecal samples at four time points;
ambulatory without assistance;
capacity to give informed consent.

Exclusion

women who have been on medications known to alter bone or calcium metabolism (e.g., oral bisphosphonates, raloxifene, denosumab, intermittent parathyroid hormone, growth hormone) within 12 months of starting the study. Prior use of intravenous bisphosphonates at any time.
women who have been on hormone replacement therapy, steroids (i.e., glucocorticoids), biologics, or chronic NSAID within 3 months of starting the study.
women with a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis (i.e., BMD T-score or history of vertebral fracture or fragility fractures of hip, wrist, humerus after the age of 50 yr) or other metabolic bone disease (e.g., osteomalacia or osteogenesis imperfect), renal disease, stroke, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, liver disease or autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic Lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes mellitus, IBD) that could affect bone metabolism or T cell biology will be excluded.
women who have undergone treatment for cancer within 12 months of starting the study
women who have been taking prebiotic or probiotic supplements or natural products that have estrogen-like effects in the past 3 months
women who smoke, have a BMI \>40 kg/m2 or \<18.5 kg/m2, or consume \>2 alcoholic drinks per day
women who regularly consume dried plums or prune juice (\>1 serving weekly).

What this trial measures

  • Change in Circulating T Helper (Th)17 CellsChange from baseline to the end of each 4-week arm of the study

    Change in the relative abundance of circulating Th17 cells in response to dried plum supplementation compared to control arm of the study will be reported.

  • Ex Vivo T Cell FunctionThe end of each 4 week arm of the study

    Ex vivo experiements will be performed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected at the final time points of each of the two arms (4 weeks in duration) of the study. Cells will be challenged and the release of interleukin 17 and interleukin 10 will be assessed in the media. The cytokine response of cells collected at the end of the control or dried plum treatment arm arm will be assessed.

  • Treatment Effects on Serum IL-6End of the 4-week control and dried plum treatment arm of the study.

    Serum IL-6 will be compared at the end of the control arm and at the end of dried plum supplementation arm of the study.