Effects of pistachio consumption on cognition, cardiometabolic risk factors, and life satisfaction in older adults: Protocol for a remote-based randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Background: Pistachios contain key nutrients and bioactive compounds that may be particularly relevant for cognition health. Although short-term pistachio intervention trials have demonstrated improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors implicated in cognitive decline, the potential cognitive effects of pistachio consumption remain to be adequately elucidated.
Methods and design: This remote-based, 6-month randomized controlled trial will test the effects of a pistachio-enriched diet (1.25 oz./d), compared to usual diet, on cognitive function in older US adults (target n = 80). Key eligibility criteria include: active participation in the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), age 65-80 years, current nut intake of ≤1 serving/week, and being free of dementia or recent cardiovascular disease, cancer, or changes in relevant medications. The primary outcome is Mobile Toolbox fluid cognition composite scores, derived by averaging standardized test scores across five domains (associative memory, episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, executive function). Secondary outcomes include individual cognitive domain scores, cardiometabolic risk factors (body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids, interleukin-6, insulin-like growth factor 1), and life satisfaction.
Discussion: Results from this trial will contribute to the growing literature on the cardiometabolic effects of pistachio consumption and may offer insight into…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 80 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Promising Sources of Plant-Derived Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Narrative Review
- Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in patients with chronic kidney disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cognition: an updated systematic review of randomized clinical trials
- The role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A narrative review
- Paucity of evidence for a relationship between long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review
- Omega-3 fatty acid nanocarriers: Characterization and potential applications
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.