Sleep quality and duration following evening intake of alpha-lactalbumin: a pilot study

• Published in: Biological rhythm research Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 507 - 517
• Main Authors: Ong, Jun N., Hackett, Daniel A., Chow, Chin-Moi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 04.07.2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: A-LAC: Alpha-lactalbumin; actigraphy; adults; body mass index; brain; college students; EMS: Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome; Insomnia; Lactalbumin; LNAA: large neutral amino acids; males; objective sleep; protein; Protein sources; Quality; SE: Sleep Efficiency; Serotonin; Sleep; sodium caseinate; SOL: Sleep Onset Latency; subjective sleep; TRP: tryptophan; Tryptophan; TST: Total Sleep Time; WASO: Wake Time after Sleep Onset

Tryptophan loading enhances sleep quality by increasing the ratio of plasma tryptophan to large neutral amino acids (TRP:LNAA) and consequently synthesis and availability of serotonin in the brain. Alpha-lactalbulmin (A-LAC) is rich in tryptophan and has the highest TRP:LNAA of all protein sources....