Effects of Saffron Extract on Sleep Quality: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial.

A saffron extract has been found to be effective in the context of depression and anxiety, but its effect on sleep quality has not been investigating yet using objective approaches. For this purpose, a randomized double-blind controlled study was conducted in subjects presenting mild to moderate sleep disorder associated with anxiety. Sixty-six subjects were randomized and supplemented with a placebo (maltodextrin) or a saffron extract (15.5 mg per day) for 6 weeks. Actigraphy was used to collect objective data related to sleep quality at baseline, at the middle and at the end of the intervention. Sleep quality was also assessed by completion of the LSEQ and PSQI questionnaires and quality of life by completion of the SF-36 questionnaire. Six weeks of saffron supplementation led to an increased time in bed assessed by actigraphy, to an improved ease of getting to sleep evaluated by the LSEQ questionnaire and to an improved sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, and global scores evaluated by the PSQI questionnaire, whereas those parameters were not modified by the placebo. In conclusion, those results suggest that a saffron extract could be a natural and safe nutritional strategy to improve sleep duration and quality

Evaluation of a Dietary Supplementation Combining Protein and a Pomegranate Extract in Older People: A Safety Study.

Malnutrition is a highly prevalent condition in older adults. It is associated with low muscle mass and function and increased occurrence of health problems. Maintaining an adequate nutritional status as well as a sufficient nutrient intake in older people is therefore essential to address this public health problem. For this purpose, protein supplementation is known to prevent the loss of muscle mass during aging, and the consumption of various pomegranate extracts induces numerous health benefits, mainly through their antioxidant properties. However, to our knowledge, no study has to date investigated the impact of their combination on the level of malnutrition in older people. The objective of this preliminary study was thus to evaluate the safety of a combination of protein and a pomegranate extract in healthy subjects aged 65 years or more during a 21-day supplementation period. Thirty older participants were randomly assigned to receive protein and a pomegranate extract (Test group) or protein and maltodextrin (Control group) during a 21-day intervention period. The primary outcomes were the safety and tolerability of the supplementation defined as the occurrence of adverse events, and additional secondary outcomes included physical examination and hematological and biochemical parameters. No serious adverse events were reported in any group. Changes in physical, hematological, and biochemical parameters between the initial screening and the end of the study were equivalent in both groups, except for glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and prealbumin, for which a decrease was observed only in the Test group. Our initial findings support the safety of the combination of protein and a pomegranate extract in healthy elderly people. Future clinical trials on a larger sample and a longer period are needed to determine the efficacy of this combination

Evaluation of a Dietary Supplementation Combining Protein and a Pomegranate Extract in Older People: A Safety Study

Malnutrition is a highly prevalent condition in older adults. It is associated with low muscle mass and function and increased occurrence of health problems. Maintaining an adequate nutritional status as well as a sufficient nutrient intake in older people is therefore essential to address this public health problem. For this purpose, protein supplementation is known to prevent the loss of muscle mass during aging, and the consumption of various pomegranate extracts induces numerous health benefits, mainly through their antioxidant properties. However, to our knowledge, no study has to date investigated the impact of their combination on the level of malnutrition in older people. The objective of this preliminary study was thus to evaluate the safety of a combination of protein and a pomegranate extract in healthy subjects aged 65 years or more during a 21-day supplementation period. Thirty older participants were randomly assigned to receive protein and a pomegranate extract (Test group) or protein and maltodextrin (Control group) during a 21-day intervention period. The primary outcomes were the safety and tolerability of the supplementation defined as the occurrence of adverse events, and additional secondary outcomes included physical examination and hematological and biochemical parameters. No serious adverse events were reported in any group. Changes in physical, hematological, and biochemical parameters between the initial screening and the end of the study were equivalent in both groups, except for glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and prealbumin, for which a decrease was observed only in the Test group. Our initial findings support the safety of the combination of protein and a pomegranate extract in healthy elderly people. Future clinical trials on a larger sample and a longer period are needed to determine the efficacy of this combination