Supplement 5-ALA And Sleep And Mood Study
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation is to determine if a relationship exists between the administration of a dietary supplement containing 5-ALA and sleep and mood.
HYPOTHESIS: There are several possible mechanisms for improvement in sleep and mood. In one study involving test mice, researchers found that the regular administration of 5-ALA appeared to raise serotonin levels in the brain. One hypothesis is by increasing serotonin levels, 5-ALA may contribute to improvements with sleep, along with additional improvements in mood, calmness, irritability and coping abilities. 5-ALA may also support hormonal regulation, including melatonin, in the pineal gland and corticosteroid regulation in the adrenal glands.
Another hypothesis is that 5-ALA may have an impact on increasing the energy and metabolism of cells, such that its own circadian rhythms are better defined. 5-ALA may support neuronal function and assistance with "mental energy" needed to deal with stress in daily life, producing better feelings of "coping", "less irritability" and lowering an individual's feelings of "fatigue", all of which may contribute to a reduction of "pessimism" regarding the ability to deal with daily tasks.
DESIGN: This will be a double-blinded, randomized parallel-group comparison study.
SAMPLE: 40 participants will be randomized to the following 2 study groups for each outcome variable (Sleep and Mood): Control Group - 20 participants and Intervention Group - 20 participants. A table…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 85 participants or records.
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