Clinical trial NCT02112292: The Role of the Endocannabinoid System in Sweet Taste Intensity and Liking
Official title: The Role of the Endocannabinoid System in Sweet Taste Intensity and Liking
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Sensory Science
Lead sponsor: Wageningen University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2014-04-11
Enrollment: 10
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: 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.


Eligibility criteria: 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)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Relation between sweet taste intensity and liking
timeFrame: 15 minutes after intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Ranking order of pleasantness of different drinks with different levels of sucrose.
timeFrame: 25 minutes after intervention
measure: Preferences for different kinds of foods
timeFrame: 45 minutes after intervention (15 minutes after top-up dose)
measure: Ad libitum intake
timeFrame: 35 minutes after intervention (5 minutes after top-up dose)
measure: Change of plasma levels of (endo-)cannabinoids and satiety hormones
timeFrame: One hour after intervention
measure: Polymorphisms
timeFrame: At test session, i.e., 2 weeks before first intervention
Other outcomes:
measure: Descriptives
timeFrame: At inclusion of participants
measure: Appetite ratings
timeFrame: During each test session
measure: Subjective feelings
timeFrame: During each test session
measure: Perception
timeFrame: 20 minutes after intervention
measure: Sweet taste intensity
timeFrame: 15 minutes after intervention
measure: Liking of sweet taste
timeFrame: 15 minutes after intervention
Locations:
city: Wageningen
country: Netherlands
facility: Wageningen University
state: Gelderland
Study officials:
affiliation: Wageningen University
name: Suzanne EM de Bruijn, MSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Wageningen University
name: Gerry Jager, Dr.
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References: