Insights & Discussion
Acupuncture was shown to significantly improve the sleep quality in pregnant women, possibly through increasing melatonin secretion.
Fifty-five of 72 participants completed the study. There was no statistically significant difference regarding PSQI score and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin level between intervention and control groups at the baseline. At the end of the study period, treatment with acupuncture significantly improved the PSQI score with a large effect size of 3.7, as well as 6-sulfatoxymelatonin level with a medium effect size of 0.6 as compared to the control group. No adverse effects were noted during acupuncture sessions and follow-up visits.
Acupuncture was shown to significantly improve the sleep quality in pregnant women, possibly through increasing melatonin secretion, and could be recommended as a low-cost and low-risk alternative treatment to pharmacological therapies.
Discover Related Insights
Recent revelations of L-DOPA, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, tryptamine, serotonin, N-acetylserotonin, melatonin, 2-hydroxymelatonin, AFMK, AMK, and vitamin D3 derivatives in honey expand its health benefits.
2022 Melatonin Research Serotonin, melatonin and their precursors and metabolites and vitamin D3 derivatives in honey Kim TK, Fabisiak A, Brzeminski P, Reiter RJ, Slominski AT
Review Article Honey Melatonin Vitamin D
The identification of L-DOPA, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, tryptamine, serotonin, N-acetylserotonin, melatonin, 2-hydroxymelatonin, AFMK, AMK, and vitamin D3 derivatives in honey aligns with their presence in insects and plants. Serotonin and melatonin, integral to tryptophan metabolism, serve diverse roles as hormones, neurotransmitters, and antioxidants. Dopamine and tryptamine, essential neurotransmitters, have broad significance across species. The detection of these molecules in honey, a widely consumed health-promoting substance, enhances its beneficial effects on human health.
The findings highlight the multifaceted composition of honey, encompassing compounds with recognized roles in neurotransmission, antioxidant activity, and hormonal regulation. The presence of these molecules not only broadens honey's spectrum of health benefits for humans but also implies their significance in the intricate physiology of social insects, influencing bee development and colony functions. The co-detection of these compounds with vitamin D3 derivatives further underscores the interconnectedness of honey with insect and plant biology, shedding light on potential synergies that contribute to the diverse positive effects of honey on human health.
Ginger, peppermint and caraway oil combination showed strong effectiveness in managing upper gastrointestinal complaints, with melatonin and marine alginate demonstrating moderate evidence.
2022 Nutrients Effectiveness of Nutritional Ingredients on Upper Gastrointestinal Conditions and Symptoms: A Narrative Review Schulz RM, Ahuja NK, Slavin JL
Review Article Alginate Caraway GERD
The methodology consisted of a literature review of the scientific studies pertaining to nutritional ingredients for upper gastrointestinal relief. The selection was based on recurring mentions within the literature and frequent appearance in consumer products. A predefined search for specific nutritional ingredients and terms related to upper GI health was conducted in five databases - Embase, Medline, Derwent drug file, ToXfile, and PubMed. A manual search was also undertaken for each ingredient to ensure comprehensive review.
The studies that gained inclusion encompassed 16 human clinical trials assessing nine different ingredients. The products investigated were divided into categories, including botanicals - with sub-categories of fiber and combinations, and non-botanical extracts. Several products demonstrated good potential, others showed promising but moderate results, while some had limited support from the scientific research.
Consumption of tart cherry juice can increase exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.
2011 European Journal of Nutrition Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J
Randomised Controlled Trial Cherry Melatonin Sleep
Total melatonin content was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in the cherry juice group, whilst no differences were shown between baseline and placebo trials. There were significant increases in time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency total (P < 0.05) with cherry juice supplementation. Although there was no difference in timing of the melatonin circardian rhythm, there was a trend to a higher mesor and amplitude.
Tart cherry juice blend yielded modest improvements in sleep for older adults with insomnia, exhibiting effects similar to or better than natural products like valerian and melatonin.
2010 Journal of Medicinal Food Effects of a Tart Cherry Juice Beverage on the Sleep of Older Adults with Insomnia: A Pilot Study Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML
Randomised Controlled Trial Cherry Insomnia Melatonin
In the pilot study, 15 older adults who were suffering from chronic insomnia but were otherwise healthy participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. The study lasted for 6 weeks, with each participant receiving both the proprietary tart cherry juice blend and a placebo for 2 weeks with a 2-week washout period between the two treatments. Sleep continuity and insomnia severity were evaluated by analyzing 2-week mean values derived from daily sleep diaries and the Insomnia Severity Index respectively.
The tart cherry juice blend was found to bring significant improvements in all assessed sleep variables before and after treatment. These improvements were particularly noticed in reducing insomnia severity, specifically the minutes awake after sleep onset, compared to placebo. Sleep latency, total sleep time, or sleep efficiency didn't show any notable improvements compared to placebo. The benefits of the tart cherry juice on sleep for older adults with insomnia were in the range of effect sizes seen in studies using valerian or melatonin, which are the most commonly studied natural products for insomnia. But these effects were considerably less than evidence-based insomnia treatments such as hypnotic agents and cognitive-behavioral therapies.