Abstract
The current fast-moving, hectic lifestyle has increased the number of individuals worldwide with difficulties in managing stress, which in turn is also affecting their sleep quality. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess a natural plant-based dietary supplement comprised of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) extract, purified in phenylpropanoids, in alleviating stress and improving quality of sleep. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted for 8 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout period. Both validated questionnaires and functional tests were performed during the study, whereas questionnaires were used after the washout. As a result, the group taking the lemon verbena extract significantly reduced their perception of stress after 8 weeks, which was corroborated by a significant decrease in cortisol levels. After the washout period, the subjects reported to present even lower stress levels, due to the lasting effect of the ingredient. As for sleep quality, the subjects taking the supplement reported feeling better rested, with a stronger effect observed in women. Sleep tracking using a wearable device revealed that the supplement users improved their times in the deeper stages of sleep, specifically their percentage of time in deep sleep and REM. In conclusion, lemon verbena extract purified in phenylpropanoids is revealed as a natural solution to help individuals to improve their stress and sleep quality.
Highlights
Anxiety is a normal part of life, and generally is a temporary condition
Following published recommendations [20], the subjects were electronically randomized by block design in two arms: an experimental group and a control group
The study population comprised of 40 individuals, recruited based on their perceived levels of stress and sleep quality
Summary
Anxiety is a normal part of life, and generally is a temporary condition. anxiety can occasionally prolong in time, having an impact on everyday activities [1], and giving rise to other conditions, such as depression, drug abuse, cardiovascular disease, and insomnia [2].There are several synthetic drugs that are commonly used to treat anxiety. These are mainly antidepressants and benzodiazepines [3] Their high cost, important side effects and a rising interest in natural solutions have driven researchers to search for botanical-based formulas [4]. To this end, there are a number of plants that have been described to possess potential sedative and anxiolytic effects [5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. Of note is lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora), which is native to western South America but is cultivated in the Mediterranean region and Middle East [12] The leaves of this plant have been traditionally used to treat various conditions, including fever, digestive discomfort, insomnia and anxiety [13,14]. In the case of the latter, the mechanism of action that has been described is related to the binding of verbascoside to neural GABA-A receptors, in the same location as benzodiazepines, thereby potentially conferring a similar effect
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