title: The influence of food on pain perception in healthy human volunteers.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate if food could reduce pain perception in a group of 16 healthy human volunteers (8 male and 8 female), and to explore the differential effects of macronutrient composition on the response to cold-induced pain. All subjects underwent the cold pressor test (CPT) on 3 occasions in a counterbalanced order, before and after administration of isoenergetic high-fat low-carbohydrate (CHO) and high-CHO low-fat meals, and when no meal was given. The CPT was carried out 4 times on each test day, once before the meal, and 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 h after the meal, and at the equivalent times on the day when no food was given. Radial pulse and blood pressure measurements and visual analogue scales of mood/emotional state were carried out before and after each CPT. Mean pain scores were significantly reduced following both meals compared with the no-food condition. The maximum reduction in pain occurred 1.5 h after ingestion, and a significantly greater effect was exerted by the high-fat low-CHO meal compared with the high-CHO low-fat meal. These results demonstrate that food, particularly when rich in fat, significantly reduces the pain induced by the cold pressor stimulus in healthy human subjects.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital Trust, Centre for Human Nutrition, UK.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Zmarzty
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D012016:Reference Values; D012528:Satiety Response
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats