Impact of Black Pepper on Energy Expenditure and Substrate Utilization

A Randomized, Cross-Over Trial to Evaluate the Acute Effects of Black Pepper on Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation in Humans

As obesity rates worldwide continue to increase, there is a focus on identifying active food ingredients which increase metabolic rate which can be used as a dietary supplement in the treatment of overweight and obesity. Promising animal and cell studies have suggested a role for black pepper and an active component of black pepper, piperine, in energy expenditure. However, the effects of black pepper have not been determined in humans. The investigators hypothesis if that consumption of 1.5g black pepper (0.5g in each of three meals over one day) will result in an elevation in 24-h resting energy expenditure when contrasted to a control day (no black pepper, same diet intake).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 18
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States, 28081
      • UNC Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Woman
• Postmenopausal
• Aged 50-65 years
• BMI 25-35kg/m2
• Not taking blood pressure or anti-inflammatory medications or any other medications that may impact the results
• Thyroid hormone profile within the normal reference range
• No medical condition which may impact the results (e.g. diabetes)
• Accustomed to eating regular meals including breakfast

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoker
• Heavy exerciser (defined as >150 minutes/week for more than 3 months)
• Abuses alcohol or drugs
• Vegetarian

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Black pepper; During the black pepper study day, subjects consumed 1.5g of black pepper (0.5g/meal) in 60.8g of vegetable juice. Black pepper was consumed was a meal on each occasion. 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization will be measured.	Other: 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization; Subjects spent two x 24-hour periods inside the metabolic chamber at the UNC NRI (black pepper and no pepper control) each separated by one week. Subjects were requested to arrive at the study center each morning in a fasted state (at least 10 hours). During each study day, subjects remained sedentary. All meals were provided and were tailored to each subject's specific energy requirements. Study meals (with the exception of the 1.5g of black pepper) were identical between the black pepper and no pepper control study days.
Placebo Comparator: No pepper control; During the no pepper control study day, subjects consumed an identical menu without black pepper. 60.8g of vegetable juice (vehicle) was consumed at each of the three study meals. 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization will be measured.	Other: 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization; Subjects spent two x 24-hour periods inside the metabolic chamber at the UNC NRI (black pepper and no pepper control) each separated by one week. Subjects were requested to arrive at the study center each morning in a fasted state (at least 10 hours). During each study day, subjects remained sedentary. All meals were provided and were tailored to each subject's specific energy requirements. Study meals (with the exception of the 1.5g of black pepper) were identical between the black pepper and no pepper control study days.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Energy expenditure and substrate oxidation	A primary outcome of this study was the 24-hour energy expenditure (measured in the metabolic chamber at the UNC NRI) following black pepper and no pepper control.	24-hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Gut peptides	Change in gut peptide secretion 30 minutes following a meal containing black pepper compared with no pepper control.	30 minutes after lunch

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Collaborators: Appalachian State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Andrew G Swick, PhD, UNC Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Swick AG, Orena S, O'Connor A. Irisin levels correlate with energy expenditure in a subgroup of humans with energy expenditure greater than predicted by fat free mass. Metabolism. 2013 Aug;62(8):1070-3. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2013.02.012. Epub 2013 Apr 8.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 13, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): November 20, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): April 6, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2016
• Last Verified: November 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: metabolic chamber; black pepper; respiratory chamber
• Other Study ID Numbers: 11-0468