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Influences of dietary and intraduodenal lipid on alertness, mood, and sustained concentration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Anita S. Wells
Affiliation:
Centre for Human Nutrition, University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S7 5AU
Nicholas W. Read
Affiliation:
Centre for Human Nutrition, University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S7 5AU
Angus Craig
Affiliation:
MRC/ESRC Social and Applied Psychology Unit, University of Sheffield, Mushroom Lane, Sheffield, S10 2TN
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Abstract

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The effects of intraduodenal and dietary lipid on alertness, mood and performance in a task requiring sustained attention were investigated in two studies. The first experiment compared the effect of duodenal infusion of either 100 g/l Intralipid (8·36 kJ/min) or isotonic saline (9 g NaCl/l) in paired studies carried out on two non-consecutive days on five male volunteers. Two consecutive 3 h infusions, one of lipid, the other saline, were given blind on each day using a crossover design. Analysis of variance indicated that lipid significantly reduced alertness (P < 0·05) and affected the speed and accuracy of performance in a sustained attention task (P < 0·05). A second experiment compared the effects on eight male volunteers of two isoenergetic lunches of similar appearance, taste and protein content but differing fat and carbohydrate (CHO) contents (fat energy:CHO, 64:18 v. 7:76). Alertness was lower (P < 0·05) and responses to stimuli in a sustained attention task were slower after the high-fat meal than after the low-fat meal (P < 0·05). In conclusion, infusion of lipid into the small intestine, and the substitution of fat for carbohydrate while keeping energy and protein constant in a lunch, both cause an enhanced postprandial decline in alertness and concentration. This may be related to the presence of lipid in the small intestine.

Type
Lipid intake and alertness
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1995

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