Sesamin, GABA not feeling? Tryptophan is the key.
According to a survey published by the Taoyuan Branch of Taipei Veterans General Hospital in 2023, nearly 1 in 5 people in Taiwan suffers from difficulties falling asleep. Among these, long-term sleep issues are more common in women than men and in the elderly compared to younger individuals. Each year, over 900 million sleep aids are consumed, enough to circle the island 12 times! The proportion of people experiencing varying degrees of psychological distress due to sleep problems has risen from 14.3% before the pandemic to 41% afterward. This not only affects appearance but, more importantly, severely impacts work efficiency, learning effectiveness, and quality of life!
Most commercially available sleep aid supplements primarily contain GABA and sesamin.
Many products on the market add GABA and sesamin as sleep ingredients, but a search of the international literature database PubMed reveals that the research on these ingredients is minimal compared to tryptophan, with only two studies focusing mainly on individuals who feel fatigued daily, rather than those experiencing sleep disturbances due to stress or aging. In contrast, tryptophan has the most scientific evidence, with 984 publications as of September 2023, and over 100 studies published in international journals involving human trials, providing sufficient evidence as a key ingredient for improving sleep.
According to scientific literature, sesamin has little direct impact on sleep; rather, its antioxidant properties may reduce feelings of fatigue at work, potentially leading to better sleep quality.
Additionally, substances directly related to sleep, such as GABA, dopamine, and serotonin, need to act within the brain. Unfortunately, during the evolutionary process, the body developed the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to protect the central nervous system, which excludes toxic substances and specific molecules from the blood. GABA, dopamine, and serotonin cannot pass through the BBB to help with sleep! However, 90% of serotonin in the body is produced in the gut, where it is responsible for maintaining the gut system's homeostasis. GABA is produced through the metabolism of gut bacteria. Therefore, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome to produce beneficial substances for sleep quality is fundamental to improving sleep! Furthermore, a comprehensive international literature review in 2020 concluded that more research is needed to support the role of GABA in stress relief and sleep.
Key Sleep Ingredient: Tryptophan
Tryptophan is a key nutrient that converts to melatonin, helping with sleep. The raw material for melatonin comes from the tryptophan found in food proteins. During the day, tryptophan forms serotonin, which creates a feeling of happiness; at night, it converts to melatonin, providing a sense of comfort for sleep.
Tryptophan can cross the blood-brain barrier, and L-tryptophan has an active structure, serving as a precursor for serotonin and melatonin, allowing it to circulate through the bloodstream to the brain and transform into substances that aid sleep.
Additionally, gut microbiota has been proven to play an important role in the gut-brain axis (the communication bridge between the brain and the digestive system), including crucial tryptophan metabolic pathways. The resistant starch used by Chengjiao Biotechnology not only produces short-chain fatty acids that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria but also enhances the host's immune capacity through the metabolic products of probiotics, thereby enriching gut microbiota and greatly benefiting overall health.
There are many factors affecting sleep quality. Cultivating habits such as avoiding blue light and caffeine before bed, maintaining a regular sleep and wake schedule, engaging in timely essential oil massages or baths, and developing a habit of exercising for at least 30 minutes are fundamental elements for maintaining good sleep quality.