None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Gymnema sylvestre (gymnema) is a plant-derived sweetness inhibitor which impairs one’s ability to taste sugar by temporarily blocking sweet receptors on the tongue. It is therefore a taste modulator which interferes with the ability of sucrose to activate the sweet receptors on the tongue leading to a decrease in sweetness perception without affecting the other basic tastes. This effect is reversible and lasts between 30-60 minutes. Gymnema is popular not only due to its anti-saccharine effect, but also because of its hypoglycemic effect and hence its use in diabetes management. To demonstrate its sucrose perception suppressing ability, tea is prepared from gymnema leaves and panellists asked to swish and amount in their mouths prior to tasting foods and sweet products (Noel et al. 2017; Hudson et al., 2018). Utilization of this plant is expanding from Ayurvedic medicine to applications in food product development (Perera and Pavitha, 2017). There is some uncertainty about observing this kind of effect (Shroeder and Flannery-Schroeder, 2005) when the leaves are processed as the case will be if the active ingredient is used in the formulation of a tablet. There is therefore the need to determine if the doses of the active ingredient used in the tablets reduces perception of sweetness. But, most importantly for this project, whether this decrease in sugar perception leads to an aversion to sugar-sweetened products. Therefore, the aim of the study is to determine whether prior consumption of gymnema is associated with a decrease in perceived hunger ratings, desire for sugar-sweetened products and pleasantness ratings of sugar-sweetened products.
Interventions
Upon arrival to the sensory laboratory, participants will be provided one muesli bar (standard serve) each to reduce hunger (45 min prior to testing). During the 45 minutes prior to the sensory testing, participants will then complete a Food Frequency Questionnaire, body composition measures and demographic questionnaire.
Participants will record their hunger and desire for sugar-sweetened product (confectionery). They will then consume a small standardised serving (13g) of their favourite co
Upon arrival to the sensory laboratory, participants will be provided one muesli bar (standard serve) each to reduce hunger (45 min prior to testing). During the 45 minutes prior to the sensory testing, participants will then complete a Food Frequency Questionnaire, body composition measures and demographic questionnaire. Participants will record their hunger and desire for sugar-sweetened product (confectionery). They will then consume a small standardised serving (13g) of their favourite confectionary (from 6 popular brands; which will be provided by the research team), and we will record pleasantness ratings as well as desire for consuming a second serving. They will then randomly be given the tablet (by the research assistant) containing gymnema sylvestre (4mg per tablet) or isocaloric placebo, and asked to ingest the product. Participants and research assistants will be blinded to the tablets provided. Participants will then rate their desire for another serving (i.e. 13 g) of their preferred confectionary and will be offered up to five servings, which will be given one after the other (after consumption, they will be given 1 minute before selecting a subsequent serving). They will be asked to rate desire for consuming another serving and pleasantness of the confectionary after each serving has been consumed. If an offering is accepted, it will be consumed and perceptual ratings will be recorded. If an offering is declined, testing and data collection for that participant will end. This is a crossover trial; there will be a minimum of three days between trials (the effects of one gymnema-containing tablet last between 30-60 min). This is an acute trial, so participants will not need to record consumption/adherence.
Sponsors
Massey University
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Healthy adults aged 18-45 years old Non-smoking Non-diabetic English-speaking
Exclusion criteria
Known allergies to gymnema sylvestre
Outcome results
None listed