title: Preliminary study: voluntary food intake in dogs during tryptophan supplementation.
abstract: Tryptophan, a precursor of important molecules such as serotonin, melatonin and niacin, is an essential amino acid for dogs. In pigs, tryptophan supplementation has been shown to induce a significant increase in food intake. The aim of the present study was to assess whether long-term tryptophan supplementation increases voluntary food intake in dogs and to observe whether this was accompanied by a change in serum ghrelin. In the present study, sixteen adult Beagle dogs were used, with four male and four female dogs fed diets supplemented with tryptophan (1 g/dog per d) during 81 d (Trp) and four male and four female dogs that were not supplemented (control). A voluntary food intake test was performed during 5 d following the supplementation period. The Trp group tended to show a higher food intake during the voluntary food intake test (58.0 (SE 5.37) v. 77.5 (SE 3.65) g/kg metabolic weight per d; P = 0.074). No significant differences were found for serum ghrelin concentrations.
authors: Animal Nutrition, Management and Welfare Research Group, Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola, Spain.
authors: Víctor
authors: V
authors: Fragua
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: González-Ortiz
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Villaverde
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Hervera
authors: Valentina  Maria
authors: V
authors: Mariotti
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Manteca
authors: María Dolores
authors: MD
authors: Baucells
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D014364:Tryptophan