Blood glucose and meal patterns in time-blinded males, after aspartame, carbohydrate, and fat consumption, in relation to sweetness perception

In a study of the impact of aspartame, fat, and carbohydrate on appetite, w e monitored blood glucose continuously for 431 (sE 16) min. Ten healthy mal es (19-31 years) participated in three time-blinded visits. As blood glucos e was monitored, appetite ratings were scored at randomized times. On the f irst meal initiation, volunteers consumed one of three isovolumetric drinks (aspartame, 1 MJ simple carbohydrate, and 1 MJ high-fat; randomized order) . High-fat and high-carbohydrate foods were available ad libitum subsequent ly. Blood glucose patterns following the carbohydrate drink (+1.78 (SE 0.28 ) mmol/l in 38 (sE 3) min) and high-fat drink (+0.83 (SE 0.28)mmol/l in 49 (sE 6) min) were predictive of the next intermeal interval (R 0.64 and R 0. 97 respectively). Aspartame ingestion was followed by blood glucose decline s (40 % of subjects), increases (20 %), or stability (40 %). These patterns were related to the volunteers' perception of sweetness of the drink (R 0. 81, P = 0.014), and were predictive of subsequent intakes (R -0.71, P = 0.0 48). For all drinks combined, declines in blood glucose and meal initiation were significantly associated (chi(2) 16.8, P < 0.001), the duration of bl ood glucose responses and intermeal intervals correlated significantly (R 0 .715, P = 0.0001), and sweetness perception correlated negatively with hung er suppression (R -0.471, P = 0.015). Effects of fat, carbohydrate, and asp artame on meal initiation, meal size, and intermeal interval relate to bloo d glucose patterns. Varied blood glucose responses after aspartame support the controversy over its effects, and may relate to sweetness perception.