The effect of non-caloric saccharin on body weight gain and caloric compensation is altered by caffeine
Abstract
Previous experiments show that when rats consume non-caloric, sweet foods or fluids they lose precision in the ability to regulate their energy intake and body weight. This may occur because the validity of sweet taste as a signal for caloric outcomes is degraded. For humans, this might be achieved by consuming sweet, but non-caloric, “diet” beverages intermixed with sweet, higher calorie products. However, diet beverages also typically contain caffeine. In these experiments, rats were given caffeine in conjunction with saccharin in order to determine if caffeine alters the detrimental effect on energy regulation that is associated with consuming non-nutritive sweetener. Experiment 1 showed that rats consumed significantly more sweetened yogurt when it contained low concentrations of caffeine (0.07 or .125 mg/g) than when it did not. Further, those given the higher concentration gained weight less rapidly than rats given the lower concentration. Experiment 2 examined whether these effects on yogurt intake and on body weight depended on whether the yogurt was sweetened with saccharin, glucose, or was unsweetened. Adding caffeine to the yogurt (a) tended to increase sweetener consumption, (b) reduced the rate of body weight gain, and (c) improved short-term caloric compensation for rats whose yogurt was sweetened with saccharin but not for rats whose yogurt was unsweetened or glucose-sweetened. These data suggest that caffeine may reduce or eliminate the tendency toward increased energy intake and body weight gain that is associated with the consumption of products containing saccharin. It is possible that this effect of caffeine is due to increased energy expenditure.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Davidson, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Nutrition|Physiology
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