The brain runs on glucose, but keeping it fueled steadily is key for sustained mental performance. Researchers tested whether palatinose, a slow-release sugar could outperform regular glucose in supporting attention and brain blood flow among healthy adults.
In this rigorous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, 64 healthy Japanese adults took on the challenge. They ingested 10g of either palatinose or glucose, then tackled the Digit Vigilance Task (DVT) a test of sustained attention at 60 minutes before (14:00) and 0 (15:00), 60 (16:00), 120 (17:00), and 180 (18:00) minutes after. A wearable 2-channel functional near-infrared spectrometer (fNIRS) tracked cerebral blood flow during each DVT. To manage fatigue, participants did the Uchida-Kraepelin (UK) test between sessions.
Palatinose shone through: Reaction times on the DVT were significantly faster with palatinose than glucose at 16:00 (p=0.0015), 17:00 (p<0.001), and 18:00 (p<0.001). Brain blood flow measured by changes in total hemoglobin rose higher in the palatinose group (p=0.018). Mood perks followed too: Post-UK questionnaires showed less “physical fatigue” (p=0.0445) and “annoyance” (p=0.0318) at 17:00 with palatinose. By 18:00, fatigue dropped further (p=0.00652), and feelings of being “serious” surged (p<0.001).
Bottom line: Just 10g of palatinose delivers sustained benefits for attention, brain circulation, and mood hinting at a smarter sugar alternative for mental endurance.
Source : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006899323003244
