The Role of the Endocannabinoid System in Sweet Taste Intensity and Liking (Sweed)

The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, a neurochemical signalling system consisting of CB-receptors and their endogenous ligands, has been found to be involved in food intake of sweet and palatable foods. Activation of the eCB system increases food intake and vice versa. The mechanism behind this effect is still unknown and the current study aims at clarifying why sweet food intake increases. It is hypothesized that sweet taste intensity increases and that sweet taste is experienced as more pleasant.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sensory Science
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Gelderland
    • Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands, 6703 HD
      • Wageningen University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI: 18.5 - 25 kg/m2
• Incidental cannabis use for at least one year, at least four times per year, but less than once a week.
• Dutch-speaking
• Willing to comply with the study procedures
• Having given written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not meeting the inclusion criteria
• Restraint eating (men: score > 2.90)
• Lack of appetite
• Having difficulties with swallowing/eating
• Usage of an energy restricted diet during the last two months
• Weight loss or weight gain of 5kg or more during the last two months
• Stomach or bowel disease
• Diabetes, thyroid disease, other endocrine disorders
• Use of daily medication except paracetamol
• Having taste or smell disorders (self-report)
• Being allergic/intolerant for products under study
• Previously experienced an adverse reaction to cannabinoids (e.g. anxiety, paranoia, nausea)
• Having (had) a schizophrenia or other psychotic illness
• Having a family history of schizophrenia or other psychotic illness
• Working at the Division of Human Nutrition (WUR)
• Current participation in other research from the Division of Human Nutrition (WUR)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

6

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: T-C-P; Order of administrations: tetrahydrocannabinol - cannabidiol - placebo	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD
Experimental: T-P-C; Order of administrations: tetrahydrocannabinol - placebo - cannabidiol	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD
Experimental: C - T - P; Order of administrations: cannabidiol - tetrahydrocannabinol - placebo	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD
Experimental: C - P - T; Order of administrations: cannabidiol - placebo - tetrahydrocannabinol	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD
Experimental: P - T - C; Order of administrations: placebo - tetrahydrocannabinol - cannabidiol	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD
Experimental: P - C - T; Order of administrations: placebo - cannabidiol - tetrahydrocannabinol	Drug: Placebo; Drug: tetrahydrocannabinol; Other Names: THC; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; Drug: cannabidiol; Other Names: CBD

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Relation between sweet taste intensity and liking	The main study parameter is the relation between sucrose intensity scaling (psychophysics) and liking (psychohedonics) of drinks with the different sucrose concentrations. These scores will be assessed after six participants and at end of the study.	15 minutes after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ranking order of pleasantness of different drinks with different levels of sucrose.	Ranking order will be assessed after 6 participants and at end of the study	25 minutes after intervention
Preferences for different kinds of foods	Preference for foods high in one of three macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat) or low in energy	45 minutes after intervention (15 minutes after top-up dose)
Ad libitum intake	Ad libitum intake of a chocolate-based drink	35 minutes after intervention (5 minutes after top-up dose)
Change of plasma levels of (endo-)cannabinoids and satiety hormones		One hour after intervention
Polymorphisms	The genetic determination of the enzymes responsible for the metabolism of THC and CBD.	At test session, i.e., 2 weeks before first intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Descriptives	General subject characteristics, e.g age, restrained eating score and other lifestyle and medical parameters	At inclusion of participants
Appetite ratings	During each test session, appetite ratings will be assessed at several time points	During each test session
Subjective feelings	During each test sessions, participants will rate the effects of the intervention.	During each test session
Perception	Participants will rate the intensity of different shades of grey.	20 minutes after intervention
Sweet taste intensity	Sucrose intensity of drinks (psychophysics) of drinks with different sucrose concentrations. This will be assessed after six participants and at end of the study.	15 minutes after intervention
Liking of sweet taste	Liking (psychohedonics) of drinks with the different sucrose concentrations. This will be assessed after six participants and at end of the study.	15 minutes after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wageningen University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Suzanne EM de Bruijn, MSc, Wageningen University; Study Chair: Gerry Jager, Dr., Wageningen University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 16, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): April 16, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 25, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): April 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 23, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 22, 2017
• Last Verified: May 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Analgesics; Sensory System Agents; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Hormones; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Psychotropic Drugs; Anticonvulsants; Hallucinogens; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; Dronabinol; Cannabidiol
• Other Study ID Numbers: NL44758.081.13; 2013-002555-14 (EudraCT Number)