Department of Psychology I, University of Lübeck, 23562 Luebeck, Germany.
Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Lübeck, 23562 Luebeck, Germany.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Jun 20;114(25):6510-6514. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1620245114. Epub 2017 Jun 12.
Food intake is essential for maintaining homeostasis, which is necessary for survival in all species. However, food intake also impacts multiple biochemical processes that influence our behavior. Here, we investigate the causal relationship between macronutrient composition, its bodily biochemical impact, and a modulation of human social decision making. Across two studies, we show that breakfasts with different macronutrient compositions modulated human social behavior. Breakfasts with a high-carbohydrate/protein ratio increased social punishment behavior in response to norm violations compared with that in response to a low carbohydrate/protein meal. We show that these macronutrient-induced behavioral changes in social decision making are causally related to a lowering of plasma tyrosine levels. The findings indicate that, in a limited sense, "we are what we eat" and provide a perspective on a nutrition-driven modulation of cognition. The findings have implications for education, economics, and public policy, and emphasize that the importance of a balanced diet may extend beyond the mere physical benefits of adequate nutrition.
进食对于维持体内平衡至关重要，这是所有物种生存的必要条件。然而，进食也会影响多种生化过程，从而影响我们的行为。在这里，我们研究了宏量营养素组成与其对身体的生化影响，以及对人类社会决策的调节之间的因果关系。通过两项研究，我们表明，不同宏量营养素组成的早餐会调节人类的社会行为。与低碳水化合物/蛋白质餐相比，高碳水化合物/蛋白质比例的早餐会增加对违反规范的社会惩罚行为。我们表明，这些与社会决策相关的宏量营养素引起的行为变化与血浆酪氨酸水平的降低有关。研究结果表明，从某种意义上说，“我们吃什么就是什么”，并为基于营养的认知调节提供了一个视角。这些发现对教育、经济和公共政策具有重要意义，并强调了均衡饮食的重要性可能超出了充足营养的身体益处。
