What this means
Researchers plan to test whether eating lean beef each day changes blood markers tied to memory and brain aging. The study is still recruiting, so no results exist yet and it cannot show whether beef helps.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the registry listing.
- Status
- Recruiting
- Who can join
- Ages 65 and over · 20 generally healthy older adults aged 65 and older
- Where
- 1 site, including South Dakota
The science
- Registered title
- Assessing the Influence of Habitual Beef Intake on Key Molecular Markers of Brain Health
- Trial ID
- NCT07623785 ↗
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Study type
- interventional
- Conditions
- Healthy Aging, Brain Health, Cardiometabolic Health, Normal Aging, Cognitive Decline Prevention in Robust Older Adults
- What is tested
- Lean Beef, Non-Beef Control
- Sponsor
- South Dakota State University
- Ages
- 65 Years to no maximum
- Dates
- First posted Jun 3, 2026 · updated Jun 3, 2026
Registry summary
his study investigates whether eating lean beef every day can help support brain health and healthy aging in older adults. As people age, protecting memory and cognitive function becomes increasingly important. Lean beef is a rich source of essential nutrients-such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and creatine-that are known to support brain function. However, the direct biological effects of a beef-rich diet on brain health markers are not fully understood.
In this study, researchers will recruit 20 generally healthy older adults (aged 65 and older) to participate in a dietary feeding trial. Participants will complete two separate 2-week dietary phases. During one phase, participants will consume 5.5 ounces (156 grams) of provided lean beef daily. During the other phase, they will consume an iso-caloric, protein-matched, non-beef control food daily. A two-week "washout" period, where participants return to their normal diets, will separate the two phases to ensure there are no overlapping effects.
Researchers will collect blood, urine, stool, and saliva samples at the beginning and end of each 2-week dietary phase. These samples will be analyzed to see if the lean beef diet improves specific biological markers in the blood related to memory, nerve protection, and overall brain aging. Ultimately, the findings from this study will help determine if incorporating lean beef into a regular diet can be a natural, food-based strategy to help preserve neurological health in older adults.
Sites (1)
- South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States