The Effect of Bitter, Umami and Sweet Tastants on Food Intake

Rationale: The appearance of tastants in the small intestine can result in the activation of a negative feedback mechanism from different parts of the intestine to the stomach, the small intestine and to the central nervous system. These processes inhibit food processing, appetite sensations and food intake, and furthermore they increase feelings of satiety and satiation. We will investigate the effects of intraduodenal infusion of quinine 75mg (bitter), rebaudioside A 540mg (sweet), monosodium glutamate 2g (umami), a combination of these tastants (quinine, rebaudioside A, monosodium glutamate) and placebo (5 test days in total) on ad libitum food intake, satiation and in vivo release of the gut satiety peptides CCK and GLP-1.

Study design: To assess the effect of intraduodenal infusion of single ingredients and a combination of tastants (bitter, umami and sweet) on ad libitum food intake.

Secondary Objective(s):

1. To investigate the effect of intraduodenal delivery of a combination of tastants on satiation.
2. To assess the effect of intraduodenal delivery of a combination of tastants on gastrointestinal hormone release.
3. To assess the effects of the tastants quinine, rebaudioside A and monosodium glutamate on the parameters as mentioned under the primary objective, and under secondary objectives 1 and 2.
4. To compare the effects, as mentioned under the primary objective, and under secondary objectives 1 and 2, of the combination of tastants to those of the three single tastants quinine, rebaudioside A and monosodium glutamate.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: umami; Dietary supplement: sweet; Dietary supplement: bitter

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Maastricht, Netherlands
    • Maastricht University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Based on medical history and previous examination, no gastrointestinal complaints can be defined.
• Age between 18 and 65 years. This study will include healthy adult subjects (male and female). Women must be taking contraceptives.
• BMI between 18 and 25 kg/m2)
• Weight stable over at least the last 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of severe cardiovascular, respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal/ hepatic, hematological/immunologic, HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, throat), dermatological/connective tissue, musculoskeletal, metabolic/nutritional, endocrine, neurological/psychiatric diseases, allergy, major surgery and/or laboratory assessments which might limit participation in or completion of the study protocol. The severity of the disease (major interference with the execution of the experiment or potential influence on the study outcomes) will be decided by the principal investigator.
• Use of medication, including vitamin supplementation, except oral contraceptives, within 14 days prior to testing
• Administration of investigational drugs or participation in any scientific intervention study which may interfere with this study (to be decided by the principle investigator), in the 180 days prior to the study
• Major abdominal surgery interfering with gastrointestinal function (uncomplicated appendectomy, cholecystectomy and hysterectomy allowed, and other surgery upon judgement of the principle investigator)
• Dieting (medically prescribed, vegetarian, diabetic, macrobiological, biological dynamic)
• Pregnancy, lactation
• Excessive alcohol consumption (>20 alcoholic consumptions per week)
• Smoking
• Blood donation within 3 months before the study period
• Self-admitted HIV-positive state
• Weight <60kg
• Non-tasters of sweet, bitter or umami
• Evidence of MSG-hypersensitivity or Chinese restaurant syndrome

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

5

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Umami; intraduodenal infusion of umami	Dietary supplement: umami; intraduodenal infusion of umami tastant
Experimental: sweet; intraduodenal infusion of sweet tastant	Dietary supplement: sweet; intraduodenal infusion of sweet tastant
Experimental: bitter; intraduodenal infusion of bitter tastant	Dietary supplement: bitter; intraduodenal infusion of bitter tastant
Experimental: combination; intraduodenal infusion of a combination of tastants (umami, bitter and sweet)	Dietary supplement: umami; intraduodenal infusion of umami tastant; Dietary supplement: sweet; intraduodenal infusion of sweet tastant; Dietary supplement: bitter; intraduodenal infusion of bitter tastant
Placebo Comparator: placebo; intraduodenal infusion of placebo (tap water)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ad libitum meal intake	Difference in ad libitum meal intake (as measured during ad libitum pasta meal). At end of the testday	5 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Satiation	Difference in satiation (as measured by VAS) per time point	5 weeks
Gut hormones	Measurements in plasma levels of the gut hormones CCK, GLP-1, insulin and glucose	5 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Maastricht University Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Prof Masclee, MD,PhD, Maastricht University Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• van Avesaat M, Troost FJ, Ripken D, Peters J, Hendriks HF, Masclee AA. Intraduodenal infusion of a combination of tastants decreases food intake in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Oct;102(4):729-35. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.113266. Epub 2015 Aug 19.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 30, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): October 8, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 15, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 13, 2014
• Last Verified: October 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: obesity; food intake; tastants
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: NL44428.068.13/METC 13-2-025