(P27-024-23) Spread Enriched With 5-Hydroxytryptophan, Theanine and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Improves Mental Performance in Healthy Subjects: Data of Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives:

Aim: to assess efficacy of functional food (spread enriched with 5-hydroxytryptophan, theanine and gamma-aminobutyric acid) on mental performance in healthy subjects.

Methods: Single-blind randomized controlled trial (NCT05543811) approved by LEC. We used standard spread containing a substitute of milk fat (71.9%), liquid soy lecithin (0.1%), monoglycerides (0.5%), skimmed milk powder (1.5%), salt (0.15%), sorbic (0.07%) and citric acids (0.02%), drinking water (24.1%), content (per 100 g): protein 2.2 g, fat 72.5 g, carbohydrates 0.78 g; or standard spread enriched with 5-hydroxytryptophan (0.667%), theanine (0.556%), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (0.45%). Healthy subjects allocated to receive either 45/day standard spread enriched with 5-hydroxytryptophan, L-theanine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (main group, MG) or 45 g/day standard spread (control group) for 10 days. Beside this, subjects followed usual diet. We assessed symptoms (abdominal pain/discomfort, abdominal fullness, bloating, incomplete bowel emptying) with 5-point Likert scale; stool form (Bristol stool scale) and frequency; HADS anxiety and depression scale; Beck's depression inventory (BDI), the SAN questionnaire; Kreplin test; Lurie test; Brudon test at baseline and on the 10th study day.

Results: There were 70 subjects in MG and 70 in CG groups.

Lurie memory score significantly increased in the MG (BL vs EOT) Mean±SD: 58.1±7.4 vs 59.9±6.7 points; p=0.001, but not in the CG: 57.3±7.3 vs 58.0±6.9 points, p>0.05.

According to the SAN questionnaire, significant increase of well-being values (44.2±13.5 vs 46.9±13.4 points; p=0.01) and mood (47.4±12.9 vs 49.9±12.6 points; p=0.01) was found in MG, while in CG there was an increase of the mood category only (52.2±12.1 vs 54.4±10.8, p=0.04).

At EOT an increase of "satiety" revealed in CG (51.5±24.8 vs 60.3±22.8, p=0.022), but not in MG. "Hunger" decreased in MG (29.1±19.4 vs 24.1±19.8, p=0.02), but not in the CG.

No significant change was found by the results of other tests, stool form and frequency in both groups.

Conclusions: Newly developed spread enriched with 5-hydroxytryptophan, L-theanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid is well-tolerated and improves memory and well-being parameters that was not observed in the control group. The enriched spread did not affect the feeling of hunger and satiety.

Funding Sources: Grant #19-76-30014 by RSF