All Claims
11 evidence-backed claims across 7 categories
Amino Acids
Glycine reduces sleep latency in human RCTs
Glycine (3g before bed) significantly reduces sleep onset latency and improves subjective sleep quality in healthy adults. Evidence from 3 human RCTs shows consistent effects, with the mechanism involving NMDA receptor modulation and thermoregulation.
L-theanine improves subjective sleep quality and reduces anxiety without causing drowsiness
L-theanine (200mg daily) improves subjective sleep quality and reduces anxiety in adults with high anxiety levels. Unlike many sleep aids, it does not cause daytime drowsiness and promotes relaxation via alpha-wave enhancement.
Glycine improves overall sleep quality and reduces daytime sleepiness
Beyond reducing sleep latency, glycine (3g before bed) improves PSG-measured sleep quality including increased REM sleep and reduced nocturnal awakenings. Daytime sleepiness and fatigue are also significantly reduced the following morning.
Minerals
Magnesium supplementation improves sleep quality, especially in deficient or elderly populations
Magnesium supplementation (500mg) for 8 weeks significantly improves sleep efficiency, total sleep time, and PSQI scores in elderly adults with primary insomnia. Effects are most pronounced in individuals with magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium supplementation increases slow-wave (deep) sleep and improves sleep architecture
Magnesium supplementation (500mg for 8 weeks) significantly increases slow-wave sleep duration and improves overall sleep architecture in elderly adults with insomnia. The effect is linked to NMDA antagonism and GABA potentiation, which promote deeper, more restorative sleep.
Hormones
Melatonin reduces sleep onset latency by approximately 7 minutes in adults with primary sleep disorders
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 19 RCTs (1,683 participants) found melatonin reduces sleep latency by ~7 minutes and increases total sleep time by ~8 minutes. Effects are more pronounced in older adults and those with circadian rhythm disruptions.
Low-dose melatonin (0.5mg) effectively shifts circadian rhythm for jet lag, shift work, and delayed sleep phase syndrome
Melatonin is the most potent chronobiotic available. Administered 5 hours before dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO), even low doses (0.5mg) produce a 1-2 hour phase advance. This makes it effective for jet lag, shift work adaptation, and delayed sleep phase syndrome. Timing is more critical than dose.