Title
Moderate whisky consumption in combination with an evening meal reduces tryptophan availability to the brain but does not influence performance in healthy volunteers
Author
Markus, C.R.
Sierksma, A.
Verbeek, C.
van Rooijen, J.J.M.
Patel, H.J.
Brand, A.N.
Hendriks, H.F.J.
TNO Voeding
Publication year
2004
Abstract
Brain serotonin (5-HT) synthesis is controlled by nutrients that influence the availability of plasma tryptophan (Trp) as compared with the sum of the other large neutral amino acids (LNAA; Trp:LNAA). Alcohol consumption is found to change mood and performance and this might well be due to alterations in the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and brain 5-HT. In the present study, we tested whether whisky consumption as part of a meal may alter the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and influence mood and performance in healthy volunteers. Twenty-four healthy male subjects participated in a within-subjects cross-over study. Subjects consumed whisky (125 ml; 40 g alcohol) or water (125 ml) as part of a standard evening meal. Effects of whisky consumption were tested on mood and choice reaction time and blood samples were taken to measure changes in plasma amino acids, glucose and insulin. The plasma Trp:LNAA ratio showed a significant decline 2h after whisky consumption of alcohol (P<0.001). No effects were found on choice reaction time or mood as compared with the control condition. The present findings reveal that whisky consumption alters available plasma Trp for uptake into the brain, whereas there were no effects on mood and performance. © The Authors 2004.
Subject
Health
Analytical research
5-hydroxytryptamine
Alcohol
Cognition
Information processing
Mood
alcohol
amino acid
glucose
insulin
tryptophan
water
adult
aged
alcohol consumption
amino acid blood level
amino acid transport
article
blood sampling
controlled study
glucose blood level
human
human experiment
insulin blood level
male
meal
mood
night
normal human
response time
statistical significance
task performance
time
tryptophan brain level
volunteer
whiskey
Affect
Aged
Alcohol Drinking
Amino Acids
Analysis of Variance
Biological Availability
Blood Glucose
Brain
Choice Behavior
Cognition
Eating
Ethanol
Humans
Insulin
Male
Middle Aged
Reaction Time
Serotonin
Tryptophan
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:9ab8ab45-8c79-4578-bc98-897f1e7af1ca
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn20041287
TNO identifier
238105
ISSN
0007-1145
Source
British Journal of Nutrition, 92 (6), 995-1000
Document type
article