1 Innovation in the raw material market: looking for more natural alternatives.
Regarding the choice of sleep materials, both consumers and raw material companies are looking for more natural and healthy products to replace melatonin and avoid artificial synthesis. Plant extracts are gaining popularity.
1.1 Corn leaf extract
Unigen launched Maizinol at the recent SupplySideWest exhibition. This is a sleep aid material extracted from immature corn leaves. A clinical study showed that taking this ingredient before going to bed can increase the time of deep sleep by more than 30 minutes, and also significantly reduce the level of cortisol in the morning (excessive mental stress leads to increased cortisol, and high cortisol is not good for human health) .
Its mechanism of action mainly works by promoting the biosynthesis of melatonin. It contains compounds similar to melatonin, so it can also bind to melatonin receptors. But unlike the direct supplement of melatonin, it is not a hormone and will not interrupt the body’s normal biosynthesis. Therefore, it can avoid some of the adverse effects of directly supplementing melatonin, such as dreaming and dizziness, causing tiredness and sleepiness when waking up the next day. It may be a better substitute for melatonin.
1.2 Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a fatty substance that is produced in the human body and is also found in animal offal, egg yolks, olive oil, safflower, soy lecithin, peanuts, and other foods. PEA has a wide range of potential clinical applications, mainly focusing on relieving pain and reducing inflammation. It is often used in the fields of bone and joint health, exercise recovery, oral health, and immunity improvement. In terms of safety and function, it is regarded as a substitute for CBD, but some recent experiments have shown that it also has a certain effect on emotional health and sleep promotion.
In October, Gencor published an 8-week study. This study tested 103 subjects through randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled methods. The results showed that its patented ingredient Levagen+ (the main ingredient is PEA) can support healthy sleep by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep. Not only that, but it also improved the state of waking up, helping the subjects wake up faster and improving their cognitive abilities when waking up. The researchers explained that the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a role in regulating many circadian rhythms. Since PEA, like CBD, can act on the body’s endocannabinoid receptors, it may affect sleep behavior.
PEA has multiple benefits for certain groups of people, such as athletes. A trial for athletes used PEA in combination with curcumin for six months and saw significant improvements in sleep improvement, improved athletic performance, and post-exercise recovery. PEA can be said to be an almost perfect ingredient for athletes who need to deal with inflammation and pain, improve athletic performance, and need sleep assistance for better performance and faster healing. And it does not contain any substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
1.3 Spearmint extract
Kemin Industry released DailyZz, a polyphenol mixture used to aid sleep this year. This is a patented plant mixture that contains natural water extracts of polyphenols from spearmint and green tea. DailyZz’s sleep clinical research is led by Dr. Michael Grandner, an internationally recognized sleep and health expert. The research results show that DailyZz can significantly improve the quality of sleep and the state of the next day within 7-14 days, including higher quality sleep, better execution ability, help to improve concentration and reaction speed, and more in adventurous scenes. Good judgment and so on.
1.4 Saffron extract
Saffron extract has a powerful antioxidant effect. This ability not only balances the levels of key neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine but also resists the oxidative stress caused by stress in the brain. A clinical study released by Pharmacant this year found that saffron extract (crocetin) can reduce overall insomnia by 25%. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, studied the sleep enhancement effect and safety of 58 adults with poor sleep through parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. After taking the standard 28 mg dose of saffron extract for 28 days, the study participants said that they “feel more awake” and “keep alert when waking up,” which improved their overall quality of life.
2 End product market: Improve product effectiveness more safely
2.1 Slow-release technology extends the release time
MelatoninIR/XR sleep aid supplement contains 1.5 mg of MicroActive melatonin. This is an innovative blend of immediate and sustained release melatonin that helps you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep all night. Take it about 30 minutes before going to bed. Only one melatonin IR/XR capsule can provide about 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep support and keep you asleep all night.
Aquilea Sueño Compact uses an innovative two-layer tablet format designed to promote long-term sleep. The first layer is released quickly at the beginning of sleep, and the second layer is released gradually throughout the night. The first layer of the rapid release contains melatonin, which is a substance naturally present in the human body and plays a very important role in sleep. The slow-release second layer contains extracts of valerian, passionflower, and California poppy to help sleep well throughout the night.
2.2 Multiple ingredients act on the entire sleep cycle
Youtheory night sleep powder uses magnesium, amino acids, and melatonin as the main ingredients. 200 mg of magnesium can relax the body and mind and act before going to bed. Then, a group of amino acids represented by L-glycine can promote the rapid start of sleep, improve sleep quality and maintain a healthy sleep cycle. Among them, only 0.3 mg of melatonin is added, which is close to the amount naturally produced by the human body. It can appropriately promote sleep and maintain sleep duration, but it will not cause dizziness after getting up the next day.
VitalPerformance Sleep skips melatonin and uses tryptophan to help promote the body’s natural production of melatonin to keep you awake after waking up. The combination of 400 mg of GABA, 230 mg of magnesium glycinate, and 200 mg of L-theanine can help the brain relax. In addition, other functional ingredients such as 5-HTP, L-tryptophan, and B vitamins help restore vitality the next day.
3 Conclusion
Data show that in 2020, the sales volume of sleep-related health care products in China has increased by more than 50% year on year. It is estimated that the market size of China’s sleep industry will reach more than 400 billion yuan this year, and it will exceed one trillion yuan in 2030. In addition, according to data from Innova Market Insights, the compound annual growth rate of global sleep aid supplements released from 2015 to 2019 was 22%.
