Abstract
Background
Patients with functional dyspepsia frequently show delayed gastric emptying, and dietary advice is frequently given for its improvement. If meal temperature influences gastric emptying, advice regarding the meal temperature may become a possible component of dietary therapy. However, little information exists concerning the thermal effect of meals on gastric emptying. The aim of this study was to determine the thermal effect of liquid and solid meals on gastric emptying.
Methods
The gastric emptying of liquid and solid test meals was examined in healthy volunteers (liquid, n = 25, mean age = 35.7 ± 9.6 years, male-to-female ratio = 22:3; solid, n = 25, mean age = 35.2 ± 8.8 years, male-to-female ratio = 20:5). Gastric emptying after the ingestion of liquid or solid meals at three different temperatures (4, 37, and 60°C) was investigated with the [13C]-labeled acetate breath test. The lag phase time (T max-calc) and the half-emptying time (T 1/2) were calculated from the 13CO2 breath excretion curve as indices of gastric emptying.
Results
The values of T max-calc at 60°C with both the liquid and solid meals were significantly smaller than those at 37°C (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference in the T 1/2 values. In the analysis of the percent excretion of 13CO2 in 1 h (% dose/h) data with the liquid meal test in the earlier phase within 30 min, significantly larger values were found at 60°C than at the other temperatures. These findings suggest that a hot meal significantly accelerates gastric emptying.
Conclusions
Meal temperature may be considered as a component of dietary therapy for patients with functional dyspepsia.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sun WM, Penagini R, Hebbard G, Malbert C, Jones KL, Emery S, et al. Effect of drink temperature on antropyloduodenal motility and gastric electrical activity in humans. Gut. 1995;37:329–34.
Sun WM, Houghton LA, Read NW, Grundy DG, Johnson AG. Effect of meal temperature on gastric emptying of liquids in man. Gut. 1988;29:302–5.
Troncon LE, Iazigi N. Effect of test meal temperature on the gastric emptying of liquids. Braz J Med Biol Res. 1988;21:57–60.
Kagawa-Busby KS, Heitkemper NM, Hansen BC, Hanson RL, Vanderburg VV. Effects of diet temperature on tolerance of enteral feedings. Nurs Res. 1980;29:276–80.
Williams KR, Walike BC. Effect of the temperature of tube feeding on gastric motility in monkeys. Nurs Res. 1975;24:4–9.
Bortolotti M, Bolondi L, Santi V, Sarti P, Brunelli F, Barbara L. Patterns of gastric emptying in dysmotility-like dyspepsia. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1995;30:408–10.
Stanghellini V, Tosetti C, Paternico A, Barbara G, Morselli-Labate AM, Monetti N, et al. Risk indicators of delayed gastric emptying of solids in patients with functional dyspepsia. Gastroenterology. 1996;110:1036–42.
Maes BD, Ghoos YF, Hiele MI, Rutgeerts PJ. Gastric emptying rate of solids in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. Dig Dis Sci. 1997;42:1158–62.
Koskenpato J, Kairemo K, Korppi-Tommola T, Färkkilä M. Role of gastric emptying in functional dyspepsia: a scintigraphic study of 94 subjects. Dig Dis Sci. 1998;43:1154–8.
Quartero AO, de Wit NJ, Lodder AC, Numans ME, Smout AJ, Hoes AW. Disturbed solid-phase gastric emptying in functional dyspepsia: a meta-analysis. Dig Dis Sci. 1998;43:2028–33.
Tack J, Caenepeel P, Fischler B, Piessevaux H, Janssens J. Symptoms associated with hypersensitivity to gastric distension in functional dyspepsia. Gastroenterology. 2001;121:526–35.
Perri F, Clemente R, Festa V, Annese V, Quitadamo M, Rutqeerts P, et al. Patterns of symptoms in functional dyspepsia: role of Helicobacter pylori infection and delayed gastric emptying. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998;93:2082–8.
Sarnelli G, Caenepeel P, Geypens B, Janssens J, Tack J. Symptoms associated with impaired gastric emptying of solids and liquids in functional dyspepsia. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003;98:783–8.
Suzuki H, Nishizawa T, Hibi T. Therapeutic strategies for functional dyspepsia and the introduction of the Rome III classification. J Gastroenterol. 2006;41:513–23.
Ghoos YF, Maes BD, Geypens BJ, Mvs G, Hiele MI, Rutqeerts PJ, et al. Measurement of gastric emptying rate of solids by means of a carbon-labeled octanoic acid breath test. Gastroenterology. 1993;104:640–7.
Braden B, Adams S, Duan LP, Orth KH, Maul FD, Lembcke B, et al. The [13C] acetate breath test accurately reflects gastric emptying of liquid and semisolid test meals. Gastroenterology. 1995;108:48–55.
Choi MG, Camilleri M, Burton DD, Zinsmeister AR, Forstrom LA, Nair KS. [13C] Octanoic acid breath test for gastric emptying of solids: accuracy, reproducibility, and comparison with scintigraphy. Gastroenterology. 1997;112:1155–62.
Takahashi Y, Amano Y, Yuki T, Ose T, Miyake T, Kushiyama Y, et al. Influence of acid suppressants on gastric emptying: cross-over analysis in healthy volunteers. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006;21:1664–8.
Lewis RJ Sr. Hawley’s condensed chemical dictionary. 15th ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 2007. p. 1135.
Erni W, Ritschel WA. Effect of temperature of perorally administered phenol red solution on gastric emptying in the rat. Arzneimittelforschung. 1977;27:1043–5.
Teeter BC, Bass P. Gastric emptying of liquid test meals of various temperatures in the dog. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1982;169:527–31.
Ritschel WA, Erni W. The influence of temperature of ingested fluid on stomach emptying time. Int J Clin Pharmacol Biopharm. 1977;15:172–5.
Webber DE, Nouri M, Bell FR. A study of the effects of meal temperature on gastric function. Pflugers Arch. 1980;384:65–8.
Verhagen MA, Luijk HD, Samsom M, Smout AJ. Effect of meal temperature on the frequency of gastric myoelectrical activity. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 1998;10:175–81.
McArthur KE, Feldman M. Gastric acid secretion, gastrin release, and gastric emptying in humans as affected by liquid meal temperature. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989;49:51–4.
Bateman DN. Effects of meal temperature and volume on the emptying of liquid from the human stomach. J Physiol. 1982;331:461–7.
Feinle-Bisset C, Horowitz M. Dietary factors in functional dyspepsia. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2006;18:608–18.
Rocca G, Dioni F, Rocca N, Oliveri F, Brunetto MR, Bonino F. Thermal care of functional dyspepsia based on bicarbonate–sulphate–calcium water: a sequential clinical trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007;4:381–91.
Shi X, Bartoli W, Horn M, Murrav R. Gastric emptying of cold beverages in humans: effect of transportable carbohydrates. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000;10:394–403.
Houghton LA, Read NW, Heddle R, Horowitz M, Collins PJ, Chatterton B, et al. Relationship of the motor activity of the antrum, pylorus, and duodenum to gastric emptying of a solid–liquid mixed meal. Gastroenterology. 1988;94:1285–91.
Szurszewski JH, Johnson LR (eds) (1987). Electrical basis for gastrointestinal motility. Physiology of the gastrointestinal tract. Raven, New York, pp 383–422.
Hashitani H, Garcia-Londoño AP, Hirst GD, Edwards FR. Atypical slow waves generated in gastric corpus provide dominant pacemaker activity in guinea pig stomach. J Physiol. 2005;569:459–65.
Minami H, McCallum RW. The physiology and pathophysiology of gastric emptying in humans. Gastroenterology. 1984;86:1592–610.
Ördög T, Baldo M, Danko R, Sanders KM. Plasticity of electrical pacemaking by interstitial cells of Cajal and gastric dysrhythmias in W/W mutant mice. Gastroenterology. 2002;123:2028–40.
Ueno T, Uemura K, Harris MB, Pappas TN, Takahashi T. Role of vagus nerve in postprandial antropyloric coordination in conscious dogs. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2005;288:G487–95.
Treacy PJ, Jamieson GG, Dent J. The importance of the pylorus as a regulator of solid and liquid emptying from the stomach. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1995;10:639–45.
Cousins HM, Edwards FR, Hickey H, Hill CE, Hirst GD. Electrical coupling between the mesenteric interstitial cells of Cajal and adjacent muscle layers in the guinea-pig gastric antrum. J Physiol. 2003;550:829–44.
Sanders KM. A case for interstitial cells of Cajal as pacemakers and mediators of neurotransmission in the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenterology. 1996;111:492–515.
Forrest AS, Ördög T, Sanders KM. Neural regulation of slow-wave frequency in the murine gastric antrum. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006;290:G486–95.
Ward SM, Dixon RE, de Faoite A, Sanders KM. Voltage-dependent calcium entry underlies propagation of slow waves in canine gastric antrum. J Physiol. 2004;561:793–810.
Nakamura E, Kito Y, Hashitani H, Suzuki H. Metabolic component of the temperature-sensitivity of slow waves recorded from gastric muscle of the guinea-pig. J Smooth Muscle Res. 2006;42:33–48.
Tougas G, Anvari M, Dent J, Somers S, Richarda D, Stevenson GW. Relationship of pyloric motility to pyloric opening and closure in healthy subjects. Gut. 1992;33:466–71.
Rawson RO, Quick KP. Localization of intra-abdominal thermoreceptors in the ewe. J Physiol. 1972;222:665–77.
El Ouazzani T, Mei N. Electrophysiologic properties and role of the vagal thermoreceptors of lower esophagus and stomach of cat. Gastroenterology. 1982;83:995–1001.
Villanova N, Azpiroz F, Malagelada JR. Perception and gut reflexes induced by stimulation of gastrointestinal thermoreceptors in humans. J Physiol. 1997;502:215–22.
Holtmann G, Talley NJ, Liebregts T, et al. A placebo-controlled trial of itopride in functional dyspepsia. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:832–40.
Hiyama T, Yoshihara M, Matsuo K, Kusunoki H, Kamada T, Ito M, et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of prokinetic agents in patients with functional dyspepsia. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007;22:304–10.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mishima, Y., Amano, Y., Takahashi, Y. et al. Gastric emptying of liquid and solid meals at various temperatures. J Gastroenterol 44, 412–418 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0022-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0022-1