title: Body weight gain in rats consuming sweetened liquids. Effects of caffeine and diet composition.
abstract: Previous studies show that high-intensity sweeteners can stimulate weight gain in rats. The present studies examined whether caffeine, a stimulant commonly added to beverages consumed by humans, influences intake of saccharin- or glucose-sweetened solutions or body weight gain in rats and whether the nature of the maintenance diet influences the effects of caffeine. In two experiments, rats received glucose or saccharin solution mixed with 0.125 mg/g caffeine or no caffeine. Rats consumed significantly more caffeinated than noncaffeinated solutions when they were maintained on a low-fat chow diet (Experiment 1) and when maintained on a sweet, high-fat, high calorie chow diet (Experiment 2). Consumption of saccharin resulted in higher body weight gain in both experiments. Caffeine reversed this effect in Experiment 1 (low-fat diet) but not Experiment 2 (sweet, high-fat diet). The findings extend what is known about the conditions under which consumption of high intensity sweeteners promote energy dysregulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States. swithers@purdue.edu
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Swithers
authors.forename: Ashley A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Kiely M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Alycia F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Laboy
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012439:Saccharin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D002110:Caffeine; D012439:Saccharin; D005947:Glucose