Endocrinologist for Mainz and Wiesbaden: You are what you eat?

MAINZ/WIESBADEN Researchers from an interdisciplinary team in Lübeck have identified an interesting correlation in a study: What we eat for breakfast determines our social decision-making behaviour. Prof Dr Dr h. c. Christian Wüster, endocrinologist for the Mainz/Wiesbaden region, explains the background. ‘The scientific study showed that study participants who had eaten more carbohydrates and less protein for breakfast were more likely to reject an unfair offer than people who had eaten a protein-heavy breakfast.

Endocrinologist for the Mainz/Wiesbaden region: Diet and behaviour are linked

What’s behind it all? Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are known as macronutrients. Their composition differs from meal to meal. At the same time, they control the amino acid balance and this in turn controls the messenger substances that are available in the brain. ‘This is a known connection. What is new about the study is that the researchers have found out how the effects on decision-making behaviour in connection with food can be measured,’ explains Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster. The randomised, controlled study was able to prove that the test subjects reacted differently to unfair offers depending on the proportion of carbohydrates in their breakfast.

This was verified with the help of a test in which a sum of money had to be distributed between two players in a game. The scientists were able to prove that after a breakfast with a high carbohydrate content, the test subjects reacted much more sensitively to unfair offers than after a breakfast with a balanced macronutrient content.

Nutrition, hormone balance, social behaviour – a close connection for the endocrinologist

The scientists present an explanatory model: the higher the proportion of carbohydrates, the lower the tyrosine level in the blood. The concentration of tyrosine in the blood in turn allows conclusions to be drawn about the concentration of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. For Prof Dr Dr h.c. Wüster, the study is particularly interesting because it shows how important the topic of nutrition is not only in relation to our physical health. ‘Nutrition, hormonal balance and social behaviour are closely linked. We can look forward to seeing how research in this area develops and what consequences can be drawn from it, for example for school catering,’ the endocrinologist assesses.

Picture: © Daniel VincekPhotolia