RESUMO
AIMS: To determine the threshold index of sweet and salty tastes in alcoholics undergoing treatment. METHODS: Taste threshold was assessed using type 3-Alternative Forced Choice in a control group (92 non-alcoholic volunteers) and a test group (92 alcoholics in therapy). The test group completed a structured questionnaire on lifestyle and habits. RESULTS: Significant difference were found between the threshold rates found in the test (3.78) and control groups (1.39). In the salty stimulus, no significant difference was noted in the threshold detection between the control (0.17) and test groups (0.30). A significant correlation was observed between the index Pearson's threshold to sweet taste in the test group and their reported alcohol consumption. The test group reported characteristics such as loss of appetite (93%), weight loss during consumption (62%) and weight gain after quitting drinking (72%). CONCLUSION: That the alcoholic group reported less sensitivity to sweet taste suggests that drinking habits may influence choice of foods, with a greater preference for foods with higher sucrose concentration. This contribute to poor health, because excess consumption of sugar raises risk for several diseases. No conclusive results were found for the salty stimulus.
Assuntos
Bebidas Alcoólicas , Alcoolismo/psicologia , Etanol/farmacologia , Percepção Gustatória/efeitos dos fármacos , Limiar Gustativo , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Comportamento de Escolha/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Cloreto de Sódio/farmacologia , Sacarose/farmacologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Melatonin is synthesized in greater concentration at night, and it plays an important role in sleep regulation. This study aimed to evaluate the melatonin concentration in milk collected by milking during the night and evaluates its effect, with or without tryptophan supplementation, in the sleep quality of adult Wistar rats. RESULTS: A difference (P < 0.05) was observed between the milking times, where the milk obtained at 02:00 presented a higher melatonin concentration (39.43 pg mL(-1) ) than that acquired at 15:00 (4.03 pg mL(-1) ). A biological assay was also performed on 32 male adult Wistar rats distributed among four groups (n = 8): those receiving an AIN-93M diet (control group) and three test groups [diets containing milk from milking at 02:00 (M2h ), milking at 15:00 (M15h ), and milking at 02:00 plus tryptophan supplementation (M2h T)] for 28 days. It was observed that the control group did not differ (P > 0.05) from the M15h group in terms of the levels of blood melatonin and urinary sulfatoxymelatonin, but differed from groups M2h and M2h T, whereas group M2h T presented higher blood melatonin and urinary sulfatoxymelatonin concentrations. CONCLUSION: Combining the techniques of night milking with tryptophan supplementation resulted in production of milk that improves sleep quality in rats.