Sleep
Conditions
Keywords
Sleep, circadian cycle, melatonin
Brief summary
The aim of this investigation was to examine the effects of tart Montmorency cherry juice on urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and sleep quality using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design.
Detailed description
The aim of the study is to examine the efficacy of tart cherry juice on sleep quality, quantity, and timing. Naturally circulating melatonin is instrumental in regulating sleep/wake schedules. Tart Montmorency cherries (Prunus Cerasus) contain high levels of melatonin and may be a useful intervention to supplement for realignment of circadian phase and by increasing the robustness of circadian amplitude. In normal healthy adults, with experimentally induced phase advanced circadian misalignment, the administration of a 3mg supplement of melatonin significantly increased sleep architecture characteristics. In this study we want to examine the efficacy of tart cherry juice in increasing urinary levels of melatonin and the subsequent impact this will have on sleep parameters.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTCherry juice
30 mLs preceding morning meal and 30 mLs preceding evening meal each day for 7 days.
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTFruit juice cordial
fruit flavoured juice concentrate
Sponsors
University of Surrey
Northumbria University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 39 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Equal numbers of healthy, non-pathological males and females aged between 18-39.
Exclusion criteria
* history of epilepsy, current episode of major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder, or a current sleep problem or an inability to comprehend English, travel over two time zones within the last six months, excessive alcohol (over 3 units per day) or caffeine consumption (more than 6 caffeinated drinks or 1 after 6pm), a smoker, a shift worker, a familial history of diabetes, users of medication or supplements, or if the participant is pregnant or currently lactating.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin | continually for 48 hours | urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin is the primary metabolite of melatonin and provides a sarrogate marker of melatonin metabolism. By measuring over a 48 h period it is possible to examine the circadian rhythm of melatonin. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep quality | continually throughout the duration of the study | Acti watches quantitively measure sleep and activity of participants, whereas slep recall provides a retrospective and subjective m,easure of sleep quality. |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed