Abstract
Purpose: "Sleep quality" plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the body, and deterioration in sleep quality causes various lifestyle-related diseases. In the present study, we verified the effects of a mat with a "Distinctive 4-Layer 3-Dimensional Structure" as the study product on sleep quality and gut microbiota through a non-controlled open-label study.
Methods: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-J) was used to assess 36 men and women who were not satisfied with their sleep quality, and 12 subjects (age 50.1 ± 4.9 years) with a marked decrease in "sleep quality" were included in the study. A non-controlled open-label study was conducted for changes in physical data when the study product (Nishikawa Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku, Tokyo) was used for 8 weeks. Analysis of gut microbiota by PSQI-J and T-RFLP, and measurement of plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) 40/42 ratio were conducted before commencement and 8 weeks after the start of the study. The present study was conducted with the approval of the ethics review committee.
Results: PSQI-J showed a significant improvement in sleep quality, time to fall asleep, difficulty sleeping and daytime difficulty waking after 8 weeks. The PSQI global score improved significantly from 8.2 ± 1.4 to 4.2 ± 2.2 (p < 0.01). Gut microbiota analysis showed a significant increase in the percentage of genus Bacteroides and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-related bacteria. Plasma Aβ40 was slight but significantly elevated, and there were no changes in the Aβ40/42 ratio.
Conclusion: The use of the study product improved "sleep quality, " affecting the gut microbiota through the gut-brain connection, increasing bacteria belonging to genus Bacteroides, suggesting that the study product may contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis in glycolipid metabolism and immune defense mechanisms.
