Effects of Oral Pre-loads on Subsequent Energy Intake

Effects of Oral Pre-loads on Subsequent Energy Intake, Gastrointestinal Hormones, Glycemic Control, Appetite-related Sensations, and Gastrointestinal Tolerance

The aim of this project is to investigate the effect of erythritol (given as pre-load), compared to sucrose, sucralose, and water on energy intake during a subsequent ad libitum test meal in healthy participants.

Furthermore, the release of GI hormones, glycemic control, appetite-related sensations, GI tolerance, sweetness and liking in response to the pre-loads will be investigated.

The subjects will participate in four study days. The screening will last 60 minutes, the study days about 4.5 hours each. After a simple-carbohydrate standard dinner, the subjects have to do an overnight fast until the next morning. Subjects will receive fixed equisweet doses of sucrose (33.5g), erythritol (50g), sucralose (0.0558g), or water as oral pre-loads in a blinded, randomized (counterbalanced) fashion (t = -15 min). Fifteen minutes after the administration (t = 0 min), a standard solid test meal will be presented and ad libitum calorie intake will be measured. The end of the test meal will be after 20 minutes or as soon as the subject stops eating for more than 5 minutes. Blood samples (to measure: glycemic control and GI hormones) will be collected at t = -16, t = -1, t = 15, t = 30, t = 60, t = 90, t = 120, t = 150, t = 180 min and appetite-related sensation rating will be collected at t = -16, t = -1, t = 15, t = 30, t = 60, t = 90, t = 120, t = 150, t = 180 min. GI symptoms and nausea are assessed at t = -16, -1, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. At t = -10 min subjects are asked to rate the perceived sweetness and liking of the pre-load and at t = 180 min the perceived liking of the test meal.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy normal weight subjects with a body-mass index of 19.0-24.9
• Normal eating habits (eating breakfast; no diets; no dietary changes; no vegetarians/vegans, no intolerances/allergies)
• Age 18-55 years
• Stable body weight (+/- 5%) for at least three months
• Informed Consent as documented by signature (Appendix Informed Consent Form)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Shift worker
• Fructose intolerance
• Pre-existing consumption of erythritol and/or sucralose more than once a week
• Substance abuse
• Regular intake of medications, except anticontraceptive
• Chronic or clinically relevant acute infections
• Pregnancy: although no contraindication, pregnancy might influence metabolic state. Women who are pregnant or have the intention to become pregnant during the course of the study are excluded. Female participants of childbearing age have to use safe contraception (oral, injectable, or implantable contraceptives, intrauterine contraceptive devices, or tubectomy). In female participants a urine pregnancy test is carried out upon screening.
• Participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study.