Phenylalanine and aspartame fail to alter feeding behavior, mood and arousal in men

Two experiments were designed to investigate the neurobehavioral effects of phenylalanine (PHE; 0.84, 2.52, 5.04, and 10.08 g) and aspartame (APM; 5.04 and 10.08 g) on energy and macronutrient selection and on subjective feelings of hunger, mood and arousal in normal weight adult males. Neither phenylalanine nor aspartame altered mean energy intakes or macronutrient selection at a lunch begun 60 to 105 min after the amino acids were consumed. During this time, increased (p less than 0.05) visual analog scale (VAS) scores for emptiness, rumbling, weakness, degree of hunger and urge to eat were found in both experiments, but no treatment effects or interactions were seen for any variable in either experiment. Plasma PHE levels and ratios to other large neutral amino acids (NAA) rose significantly (p less than 0.05) after all treatments except 0.84 g PHE; plasma tyrosine (TYR) levels increased (p less than 0.05) only when greater than or equal to 2.52 g PHE was given. TYR/NAA ratios were higher (p less than 0.05) after 2.52 and 5.04 g PHE, and 10.08 g APM. No relationships were found between food intake and plasma amino acid levels. We conclude that, in normal weight men, PHE and APM, in doses up to 10 g, do not affect short-term energy and macronutrient intakes, or subjective feelings of hunger, mood and arousal.