Effect of Date Seeds Coffee on Mood and Cognitive Performance

Investigating the Acute Effects of Mood and Cognitive Performance Following the Administration of a Coffee Made of Date Seeds on Healthy Young Volunteers.

Limited utilizations of date seeds have previously been explored, and so previously wastage has often been the normality. However, research now indicates that several fruit seeds contain higher concentrations of beneficial total phytochemicals within their seeds in comparison to the flesh. As well as high nutritional values of date seeds for fibre, protein and micronutrients, this increased phytochemical content has been proven to be true for date seeds, with mainly phenolic acids (24.6 g k GAE) 3 and total flavonoids (3.67 g k RE). With the seeds presently being used to produce new coffee products, it raises questions on whether consumption of date seeds can alter mood and cognitive behaviour and therefore research into investigate the acute effect of date seeds coffee on mood and cognitive function on healthy young volunteers. However, to the best of the research team knowledge, this is the first human trial to investigate these effects.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Health Status
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Date coffee; Dietary supplement: Normal coffee; Dietary supplement: Placebo

Detailed Description

Introduction

Seeds of the date palm (P. dactylifera) are a very rich source of bioactive compounds, thus constituting strong candidates for functional food additives and nutraceuticals. Many promising results were observed when the effect of date flesh and seeds consumption have been studied in animals, for their role as either a protective1 against neurodegenerative 2,4,5 diseases, or as a cure for it 2. Most of the observed effects were attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in dates flesh and seeds fruit due to it high content of phenolic compounds 3.

Rational For years, date seeds were considered a waste, having no other uses except for feeding animals. However, as has already been demonstrated in other fruits and corresponding seeds, total phytochemical content of the date seeds was higher than in the edible flesh9. Date seeds have also been shown to have an excellent nutritional quality due to high amounts of fibre (676-742 g/kg) 3 depending on variety, considerable amounts of minerals, vitamins, lipids and protein. Additionally, date seeds were shown to be rich in antioxidants containing mainly phenolic acids (24.6 g k Gallic Acid equivalent) 3 and total flavonoids (3.67 g k Rutin Equivalent).

Nowadays, and on sight of the aforementioned findings, date seeds are used to make a new coffee product. This ''coffee alternative'' is commercially available and is becoming more popular.

Although, many studies have demonstrated that date seeds possess high antioxidant activities, due to their high content of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, no human trial has investigated the effect of the consumption of date seeds on humans and especially on mood and cognitive behaviour. Therefore, this study, for the first time, to the best of the research team knowledge will investigate the acute effect of date seeds coffee on mood and cognitive function on healthy young volunteers.

Aim The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of a coffee made of date seeds on mood and cognitive performance.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 52
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Tyne And Wear
    • Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom, NE1 7RU
      • NU-Food Research Facility

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy young volunteers age between 18 to 35

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants will be ineligible to participate in the study if any of the following apply:

1. Have a BMI above 35kg/m2
2. Smokers or tobacco product consumers which includes electronic cigarettes
3. Are taking any illicit or prescribed drugs.
4. Have a history of, or currently, abuse alcohol
5. Have a history of dyslexia, ADHD, learning difficulties or colour blindness,
6. Females who are pregnant, lactating or seeking to become pregnant, or are at risk of pregnancy as they to do not use birth control measures
7. Have allergies to any food product.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Date seeds filtered coffee; Each participant will consume this arm in a visit has been allocated by Latin Square randomisation order: 45 g of date seeds coffee in 280 ml of boiled water, coffee flavour and brown food colouring ( made using a filter coffee machine). it will be served in a paper cup with lid	Dietary supplement: Date coffee; 45 g of date seeds coffee in 280 ml of water
Experimental: Normal filtered coffee; Each participant will consume this arm in a visit has been allocated by Latin Square randomisation order: 6 g of coffee in 280 ml of boiled water (made using a filter coffee machine) it will be served in a paper cup with lid	Dietary supplement: Normal coffee; 6 g of normal coffee in 280ml of water
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Each participant will consume this arm in a visit has been allocated by Latin Square randomisation order: 280 of boiled water, coffee flavour and brown food colouring it will be served in a paper cup with lid	Dietary supplement: Placebo; water, food colouring and coffee flavouring

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The average of the change in 9 cognitive indexes including: Attentional Intensity, Sustained Attention, Attentional Fluctuation, Memory Retrieval Speed, Cognitive Reaction Time, Working Memory Capacity, Episodic Memory Capacity, Quality of Memory	Cog-track an online set of nine cognitive tests (www.wesnes.com).	Change from baseline at 45 minutes post dose and at 90 minutes post dose for each visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Caffeine consumption using caffeine consumption questionnaire	A paper based questionnaire developed by Erika Bühler et al., 2014. At the screening visit and on each study day participants will be asked to complete the table in order to build a picture of their individual caffeine habits	Change form Baseline for each visit only
Caffeine research Visual Analogue Scales	A caffeine research Visual Analogue Scales which comprises of 7 scales (relaxed, alert, jittery, tired, tense, headache and overall mood).	Change from baseline 45 minutes post dose and at 90 minutes post dose.
Change in Mood using Bond Lader Visual Analogue Scales	This widely used set of 16 100 mm VASs yields three extensively validated factor scores: alertness, calmness and contentment.	Change from baseline 45 minutes post dose and at 90 minutes post dose.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Newcastle University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 20, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 7, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): March 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 19, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): July 5, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 31, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 28, 2020
• Last Verified: July 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: DSCPM

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No