An algae pill may reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep, researchers say.
Japanese biotechnology company Algal Bio says its dietary supplement – which contains a type of algae found in lakes in Switzerland – has the desired effect in just four weeks.
Nutrients called carotenoids in the chlorella plant have anti-inflammatory and anti-stress effects that help people fall asleep.
The product could be an alternative to melatonin, which can make people sleepy during the day and has recently been linked to accidental poisoning in children.
Users should take six capsules of the seaweed supplement Moneru daily to experience the sleep-promoting benefits
Experts warn the rate of melatonin poisoning in children has increased SIX-FOLD
Parents are being warned against giving children melatonin after a series of accidental poisonings.
The manufacturers tested the supplements on 25 people who completed the Athens Insomnia Scale before and after taking the pills for a month.
The scale measures eight sleep-related factors, including falling asleep, general well-being and fatigue the next day.
Each factor is given a score between zero and three. When asked how quickly they fell asleep, the choices were zero – no problem, one – slightly delayed, two – significantly delayed, and three – very delayed or not falling asleep at all.
Participants took six capsules a day for four weeks.
At the start of the study, the group rated their difficulty falling asleep with an overall average of three.
By the end of the month, it had dropped to one, meaning they had a “slight delay” in falling asleep.
The internal study found that the daily supplement also improved users’ sleep quality and mood.
The algae were discovered in Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland, but Algal Bio is now cultivating them in Japan.
The company is working with the University of Tokyo to find out exactly why the product works, but one mechanism they have identified is a nutrient in the algae called carotenoids.
They have anti-inflammatory effects on neurons, the nerve cells that transmit stress to your brain, reducing stress and facilitating the process of falling asleep.
The product launched in Japan just this month, and Algal Bio CEO Amane Kimura hopes it will be available in the US by the end of the year.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
