An Abstract of the Thesis Of
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Sandra J. Mitchell for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Foods and Nutrition presented on December 9, 1983. Title: Protein and Carbohydrate Intake, Plasma Neutral Amino Acid Levels, and Hunger Ratings of Young Men with Changes in Breakfast Protein Content. Abstract approved: n James E"! Leklem The work of others supports a dietary intake feed-back mechanism in the rat whereby dietary protein and carbohy- drate contents affect the plasma ratio of tryptophan to the sum of valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine (TRP/ZNAA). This ratio in turn affects central serotonin metabolism which affects the freely- selected intake of dietary protein and/or carbohydrate. The present study tested the hypothesis that when young men consumed breakfasts of differing protein content (4 g and 18 g) and carbohydrate "to appetite," differences would be observed in plasma neutral amino acid levels and subsequent freely-selected intake at meals with regard to protein and carbohydrate. Thirteen, young (ages 18-22), normal weight men participated in this study and consumed breakfasts with each level of protein for one week. Al- though plasma TRP/JNAA was significantly (p < .01) higher two and four hours after the 4 g protein breakfast than after the 18 g breakfast, subsequent intake of calories, protein, and carbohydrate did not differ. Fasting values of plasma neutral amino acids did not correlate with cal- oric, protein, or carbohydrate intakes of the previous two days. Food intakes were measured by weighing in a univer- sity cafeteria. This method of food intake measurement was found to be similar in time costs to that of a laboratory metabolic study but had some advantages in monetary savings and presenting subjects with a familiar variety of foods. Subjective hunger ratings, as measured on a Visual Analog Scale, decreased with meal ingestion but were neither predictive of meal caloric, protein, or carbohydrate intakes nor related to plasma neutral amino acid levels or ratios. Two and four hours after breakfast, subjective hunger ratings did not differ with the different break- fast contents. Variability in pupil responses to pictures of food, when measured two hours after breakfast, made the pupillometric results inadequate as measures of inter- est in food. It was concluded that although breakfast contents of protein and carbohydrate affected plasma neutral amino acid ratios two and four hours after the breakfast, alterations in subsequent dietary intakes, as observed in rats by other researchers, and in post- • breakfast hunger ratings were not found in the human sub- jects in the present study. Protein and Carbohydrate Intake, Plasma Neutral Amino Acid Levels, and Hunger Ratings of Young Men with Changes in Breakfast Protein Content by Sandra J. Mitchell .A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Completed December 9, 1983 Commencement June 1984 APPROVED: Associate Professor of Foods and Nutrition in charge of major Head of Dep^rtmient of Foods and Nutrition Dean of Gjrapuate Schoo r Date Thesis is presented December 9, 1983 Typed by Jean Degnan for Sandra J Mitchell ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The past nine years have been spent in pursuit of the Ph.D. There have been several steps and interruptions along the way, but pursuit of this goal has had a central position in my life during this period. There is no way to acknowledge all those who have helped me in various ways. There are, however, two very special people who have provided leadership and encouragement throughout the entire graduate school experience. The first of these is Jim Leklem who has been my major advisor for both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Leklem has shown me how to continue problem solving when no solutions were in sight, and he has demanded excellence when it would be easier to be sloppy. His excellence as a scientist, a teacher, and a human being has provided an example to emulate. I am proud to be associated with him. The second person who has profoundly influenced my pursuits is Margy Woodburn. Dr. Woodburn was my first contact at Oregon State. Her understanding of where I was and where I wanted to be helped me in my initial decision to start my graduate studies. Through the years I have continued to appreciate her insights and knowledge. Her counsel and her example as a professional woman have elicited my affection and admiration. I have been very fortunate to have studied with the guidance of these two people. Financial sources of assistance have been several. The funds for research came from an American Home Economics Association Foundation grant, a Sigma Xi research fellowship, and the Dean's Research Fund. Personal assistance was received from the General Foods Fund and a Tartar award. My family and my friends have been supportive, and their faith has helped me over the hard times. My employers have been understanding, and my students have been appropriately empathetic. So many people helped in the research. Subjects, technicians, faculty, and fellow graduate students made long hours bearable and frequently enjoyable. This thesis is dedicated as a memorial to my father, Woodrow Mitchell. Without his values of perseverance and dedication, this thesis would never have been written. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 7 Macronutrient appe-tite in humans 8 Evidence of macronutrient appetite in humans 10 Evidence for macronutrient appetite in rats 12 Feed-back regulatory mechanism for macro- nutrient appetite: a rat model 16 Neurotransmitters 20 Tryptophan metabolism in the brain 23 Drug manipulations 27 Neurological lesions 30 Peripheral metabolism of tryptophan 33 Dietary influence on availability of tryptophan to the brain 35 Feed-back mechanism for regulation of protein or carbohydrate intake 47 Protein consumption 48 Carbohydrate consumption 52 Tryptophan metabolism in the human brain 55 Evidence of influence on human appetite by biochemical parameters from the rat appetite model 60 Dietary influence on human plasma neutral amino acids and central nervous system 5-hydroxyindoles 65 Plasma neutral amino acids 65 Indicators of brain metabolism 73 Diet and brain tryptophan metabolism 77 Teleological support for macronutrient intake regulation 78 Protein requirements 79 Need for a mechanism for dietary selection 82 The natural human diet 84 Dietary selection by children 87 Factors affecting human food choice 90 Summary 92 CHAPTER III: EFFECTS OF BREAKFASTS WITH LOW AND MODERATE PROTEIN CONTENT ON POST-PRANDIAL PLASMA AMINO ACIDS AND SUBSEQUENT PROTEIN AND CARBOHY- DRATE INTAKE OF YOUNG MEN 94 Abstract 94 Key words 95 Introduction 95 Methods and materials 99 Subjects 99 Experimental procedures 100 Food composition and measurement 102 Blood samples 104 Analytical methods 104 Results 105 Plasma amino acids 105 Food intake 106 Plasma amino acid levels and food intake 107 Post-dinner plasma amino acids 108 Fasting plasma amino acids 108 Mid-morning plasma amino acids 108 Pre-lunch amino acids 108a Discussion 109 CHAPTER IV: FOOD INTAKE MEASUREMENT: UNIVERSITY DINING HALLS AS AN EXTENSION OF THE.LABORATORY 120 Abstract 121 Introduction 122 Determining the method of data collection 123 Records based on weighing 125 Records based on estimation 125 24-hour food recalls 127 Accuracy 127 Variance 129 Metabolic study method 130 Nutrient composition of foods 131 Summary of methods 132 Procedure 133 Collection of food intake data 134 Determination of nutrient intakes 135 Results 136 Variability 136 Costs 137 Discussion 139 CHAPTER V: COMPARISON OF SUBJECTIVE HUNGER RATINGS TO FREELY SELECTED MEAL INTAKE AND PLASMA NEUTRAL AMINO ACID RATIOS 145 Abstract 146 Introduction 147 Method 151 Hunger ratings 152 Food intake 153 Blood collection and plasma processing 154 Amino acid analysis 154 Statistical analysis 154 Results 155 Discussion 156 CHAPTER VI: PUPIL RESPONSES TO FOOD PICTURES 163 Method 167 Results 169 Discussion 170 CHAPTER VII: SUMMARY 174 CHAPTER VIII: SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY 177 BIBLIOGRAPHY 181 APPENDICES 200 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page II-l Proposed sequence describing diet- induced changes in brain serotonin concentration in the rat 19 II-2 Conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and oxidation to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. 24 II-3 The effect of food consumption on brain serotonin synthesis. 53 II-4 Comparison of change in free tyrosine content of plasma of man and rat with time. 81 LIST OF TABLES Table Page Ilrl Effects of drugs influencing central serotonergic action on calorie, protein, and carbohydrate consumption by the rat 56 III-l Plasma TRP , NAA , and TRPrNAA of 13 subjects consuming breakfasts differ- ing in protein content 114 III-2 Mean intake by 13 subjects of meal contents of calories, protein, and carbohydrate with conditions of different breakfast protein content 115 III-3 Mean daily intake of calories, protein, and carbohydrates of 13 men with different breakfast conditions 116 III-4 Significant correlations between meal calorie, protein, and carbohydrate intakes 117 III-5 Significant correlations between calorie, protein, and carbohydrate components of meals and post-prandial plasma amino acids for 13 men 118 III-6 Significant correlations of post- dinner plasma amino acids with intake of calories, protein, and carbohydrate at the previous meal, same day, and next day for 13 men 119 IV-1 Percentage of mean four-day intake of kilocalories by young men on different days of two consecutive