Does tryptophan help with sleep?

Introduction

Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, both of which are crucial for regulating sleep. This synthesis aims to analyze the effects of tryptophan on sleep based on multiple research studies.

Key Insights

Improvement in Sleep Quality and Efficiency:
- Tryptophan intake, particularly in the form of proteins with a high tryptophan/large neutral amino acids (Trp/LNAA) ratio, has been shown to improve sleep efficiency and quality in adolescents with sleep disturbances.
- Evening consumption of tryptophan-rich alpha-lactalbumin protein increases plasma tryptophan levels and improves morning alertness and attention, suggesting better sleep quality.
Reduction in Sleep Latency:
- L-tryptophan consistently reduces sleep latency (time to fall asleep) in both normal individuals and those with mild insomnia, with doses of 1 g or more being effective .
- Higher doses of L-tryptophan (2.4 g) show a more significant reduction in sleep latency and correlate with blood tryptophan levels.
Effects on REM and Non-REM Sleep:
- L-tryptophan increases non-REM sleep and decreases REM sleep, indicating a shift towards deeper sleep stages .
- Moderate doses of L-tryptophan (7.5 g) increase slow-wave sleep and reduce time awake, while higher doses (12 g) increase REM sleep duration during the second half of the night.
Association with Sleep Duration and Depression:
- Higher tryptophan intake is positively associated with longer sleep duration and inversely associated with self-reported depression levels, indicating a potential dual benefit for mood and sleep.

Conclusion

The collective evidence suggests that tryptophan intake, particularly in higher doses or in forms that enhance its bioavailability, can improve sleep quality by reducing sleep latency, increasing non-REM sleep, and potentially extending overall sleep duration. Additionally, tryptophan's role in serotonin and melatonin synthesis underscores its importance in sleep regulation and mood improvement.

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Does tryptophan help with sleep?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial on the Effect of Proteins with Different Tryptophan/Large Neutral Amino Acid Ratios on Sleep in Adolescents: The PROTMORPHEUS Study

Proteins with higher tryptophan/LNAA ratios may improve sleep efficiency in adolescents with sleep disturbances.

Evening intake of alpha-lactalbumin increases plasma tryptophan availability and improves morning alertness and brain measures of attention.

Evening intake of alpha-lactalbumin protein with enriched tryptophan content improves morning alertness and brain measures of attention, particularly in poor sleepers.

The effect of L-tryptophan on daytime sleep latency in normals: correlation with blood levels.

L-tryptophan consistently reduces sleep latency in normal individuals, with blood levels playing a significant role in this process.

Effects of L-tryptophan on sleepiness and on sleep.

L-tryptophan increases sleepiness and reduces sleep latency in mild insomniacs and normal subjects with longer sleep latency, but mixed results in normal subjects and those with serious medical or psychiatric illnesses.

How important is tryptophan in human health?

Tryptophan is crucial for human health, playing a crucial role in metabolic functions, treating depression, sleep disorders, cognitive disorders, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Tryptophan Intake in the US Adult Population Is Not Related to Liver or Kidney Function but Is Associated with Depression and Sleep Outcomes.

Tryptophan intake in the US population is not related to liver or kidney function, but is inversely associated with self-reported depression and positively associated with sleep duration.

Reduction of REM sleep by a tryptophan-free amino acid diet.

A tryptophan-free amino acid diet reduces REM sleep and slightly increases nonREM sleep in rats, but does not significantly affect total sleep time.

Effects of L-tryptophan (a natural sedative) on human sleep.

L-tryptophan increases non-rapid-eye-movement sleep and delta wave sleep, potentially through a non-serotonin mechanism, while decreasing rapid-eye-movement sleep in insomnia patients.

Tryptophan and sleep in young adults.

L-tryptophan alters sleep patterns in young adults, with high doses causing increased REM sleep and drowsiness, supporting the idea that serotonin plays a role in both slow-wave and rapid eye movements sleep.

L-tryptophan and sleep in healthy man.

L-tryptophan may reduce awakenings, increase stage 3 and REM sleep in daytime sleep, but its hypnotic activity is limited and uncertain.

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