Effects of Breakfast Glycaemic Index on Cognition in Earlier or Later Chronotypes.

Launched by ANETTE BUYKEN · Mar 31, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Background Studies in young adults indicate beneficial effects of a low glycemic index (GI) breakfast on cognitive performance. A meta-analysis of 17 studies revealed benefits of a low-glycemic load (GL) breakfast on immediate memory only in the late post-prandial period. The meta-analysis reported no overall effect on attention in adults, yet suggests advantages for attention in children, adolescents, and young adults. A limitation of previous studies was that dairy was often allowed despite its strong insulinotropic effect, dampening the postprandial glycaemic response. To ensure an unbia...

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Participants of GlyCoBrain Observational Study
• • Early or late chronotype (approx. lowest and highest quartile)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Students studying nutritional science and home economics (study programs of the study PI)
• • Intermediate chronotypes
• • Persons unwilling to abstain from smoking or cannabis use during the intervention period
• • Persons unwilling to consume standard evening meal prior to intervention days
• • BMI\>30 kg/m² (diurnal variation in glycaemic control is known to be absent among persons with obesity) and \<18.5 kg/m2 (since underweight is also known to affect glucose homeostasis)
• * acute or permanent use of sleep-promoting medications (including herbal preparation):
• • medications: melatonin, diphenhydramine, doxylamine
• • herbal preparations: hops, St. John's wort, lemon balm, lavender, passionflower, Baldurat, Neurexan, cannabinoids
• • Use of psychotropic medications (antidepressants, tranquilizer, antipsychotics)
• • Use of methylphenidate (e.g. Ritalin, Medikinet, Concerta)
• • Use of cannabinoids by prescription
• • Continuous administration of antihistamines when discontinuation is not feasible during the intervention
• • Use of herbal preparations affecting memory and concentration (e.g. gingko, ginseng, ashwagandha)
• • Use of other medications (e.g. insulin, metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, steroids, ACE inhibitors)
• • Selected chronic diseases (depression and other mental disorders such as anxiety disorder, ADHD, diabetes mellitus (all types), prediabetes, blood clotting disorders (e.g., thrombocytopenia, hemophilia), eating disorders (e.g., anorexia, binge eating, bulimia), Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis), Addiction disorders (e.g., alcohol, drug, or medication dependency)
• • Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals
• • Shift work or travel in the past 3 months across more than 2 time zones
• • students with a pacemaker/defibrillator or cochlear implant