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Moderate whisky consumption in combination with an evening meal reduces tryptophan availability to the brain but does not influence performance in healthy volunteers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

C. Rob Markus ,
Aafje Sierksma ,
Cees Verbeek ,
Jan J. M. van Rooijen ,
Hamina J. Patel ,
A. Nico Brand  and
Henk F. J. Hendriks
C. Rob Markus*
Affiliation:
University of Maastricht, Department of Experimental Psychology, PO Box 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Target Organ Toxicology, Zeist, The Netherlands
Aafje Sierksma
Affiliation:
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Nutritional Physiology, Zeist, The Netherlands University Medical Center Utrecht, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Cees Verbeek
Affiliation:
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Food and Food Supplement Analysis, Zeist, The Netherlands
Jan J. M. van Rooijen
Affiliation:
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Food and Food Supplement Analysis, Zeist, The Netherlands
Hamina J. Patel
Affiliation:
TNO Bibra International Limited, Surrey, UK
A. Nico Brand
Affiliation:
Utrecht University, Department of Health Psychology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Henk F. J. Hendriks
Affiliation:
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Nutritional Physiology, Zeist, The Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author: Dr C. R. Markus, fax +31 43 3884199, email, R.Markus@psychology.unimaas.nl
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Abstract

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Brain serotonin (5-HT) synthesis is controlled by nutrients that influence the availability of plasma tryptophan (Trp) as compared with the sum of the other large neutral amino acids (LNAA; Trp:LNAA). Alcohol consumption is found to change mood and performance and this might well be due to alterations in the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and brain 5-HT. In the present study, we tested whether whisky consumption as part of a meal may alter the plasma Trp:LNAA ratio and influence mood and performance in healthy volunteers. Twenty-four healthy male subjects participated in a within-subjects cross-over study. Subjects consumed whisky (125ml; 40g alcohol) or water (125ml) as part of a standard evening meal. Effects of whisky consumption were tested on mood and choice reaction time and blood samples were taken to measure changes in plasma amino acids, glucose and insulin. The plasma Trp:LNAA ratio showed a significant decline 2h after whisky consumption of alcohol (P<0·001). No effects were found on choice reaction time or mood as compared with the control condition. The present findings reveal that whisky consumption alters available plasma Trp for uptake into the brain, whereas there were no effects on mood and performance.

Keywords

Alcohol5-HydroxytryptamineMoodInformation processingCognition
Type
Review Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 92 , Issue 6 , December 2004 , pp. 995 - 1000
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2004

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