Recruiting
Impact of Nut Consumption on Mental Health in Young Adults
Nuts have a high nutrient density, and numerous studies have reported their cardiometabolic benefits. Although observational studies in adults have indicated a potential link between nut consumption and improved mental health, there is still insufficient evidence from experimental studies to draw firm conclusions about this association.
ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT07292610
PhaseNA
Enrollment135
SponsorUniversity of Castilla-La Mancha
Age18 Years
SexALL
Conditions studied
Depression Disorder, Anxiety, Mental Health, Stress, Cognition, BDNF, General Wellbeing
About this study
Nuts have a high nutrient density, and numerous studies have reported their cardiometabolic benefits. Although observational studies in adults have indicated a potential link between nut consumption and improved mental health, there is still insufficient evidence from experimental studies to draw firm conclusions about this association.
Interventions
- Dietary Supplement: mixed nuts. Group A — Participants will be instructed to consume a single daily dose of nuts (30 g/day of mixed nuts). Nuts will be provided free of charge for the entire study period (6 moths). The participants will be instructed to incorporate nuts into their regular diet and consume them in any way they prefer. Upon completion of the intervention, participants will be instructed to continue their usual dietary and lifestyle habits, without any specific restrictions or incentives directed toward nut consumption. After 6 months have passed since the end of the intervention, all participants will be called for a final session (12 months) in which all data evaluated throughout the study will be collected
- Dietary Supplement: mixed nuts. Group B — Participants will be instructed to consume two daily doses of nuts (60 g/day of mixed nuts). Nuts will be provided free of charge for the entire study period (6 months). The participants will be instructed to incorporate nuts into their regular diet and consume them in any way they prefer.Upon completion of the intervention, participants will be instructed to continue their usual dietary and lifestyle habits, without any specific restrictions or incentives directed toward nut consumption. After 6 months have passed since the end of the intervention, all participants will be called for a final session (12 months) in which all data evaluated throughout the study will be collected
- Other: control group — Participants will be instructed to maintain their regular diet without any specific dietary instructions or intervention.
Primary outcomes
- Depression ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Anxiety ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Stress ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Episodic memory ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Working memory ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Cognitive flexibility ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Processing speed ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
- Inhibitory control and attention ("Day 0", "Month 3", "Month 6", "Month 12")
Eligibility information
Participants must meet all the following criteria to be considered eligible for selection and randomization:
Inclusion Criteria:
* Age: Participants must be between 18 and 25 years old.
* Academic Status: Participants must be enrolled as university students.
* Field of Study: Participants may come from any academic program offered at the Cuenca Campus, including Nursing, Social Work, Education, Fine Arts, Engineering, Journalism, and Teaching.
Participants will be excluded from the study if they have any of the following conditions, based on self-reported information:
Exclusion Criteria:
* Allergies: Known nut allergy.
* Self-reported cardiovascular, metabolic, gastrointestinal or mental health disorder.
Study locations
- Health and Social Research Center. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Cuenca 16071 Spain
Before you participate: Varda Clinical is an independent discovery tool, not the study sponsor or a medical provider. Eligibility can only be determined by the official study team. Discuss potential risks and benefits with a qualified healthcare professional.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.