Nestlé Debuts Bioactive Blend Milk Powder to Improve Sleep Quality

New research has shown that a specific proprietary bioactive blend can help to improve natural sleepiness and sleep quality. Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the National University of Singapore Sleep Center, where the study was performed, collaborated on the clinical study.

During the clinical trial, the researchers tested the impact of a novel nutritional solution containing a blend of bioactive ingredients on sleep. The results showed that the combination of a natural source of tryptophan, vitamin B, magnesium, zinc, and nutrients that naturally facilitate the body's melatonin secretion, combined with mulberry leaf extract, reduced both the measured as well as the self-reported time to fall asleep by approximately 15%.

With the natural mulberry leaf extract, a traditional ingredient used in China, the bioactive blend reduced the postprandial blood sugar increase after the evening meal and glycemic variation during the night.

"By leveraging digital technology and wearable devices, we were able to successfully measure and evaluate participants' glucose levels and sleep quality in the comfort of their own homes. This innovative approach enabled us to gather reliable data on the effectiveness of our nutritional solution in improving sleep quality and mood on the next day," said Eline van der Beek, head of Nestlé's Institute of Health Sciences.

R&D scientists developed a milk powder that contains the patented bioactive blend to promote natural sleepiness and enhance sleep quality. This blend can now be found in the newly formulated Yiyang Wanning milk powder, which was just launched in China and targets people aged 40-60 years.

The same scientific findings were used by the Nestlé R+D Accelerator in Switzerland to pilot easy-to-use fruit shots. Developed to support sleep by containing the proprietary bioactive blend, the fruit shots were piloted for a limited time in Europe and South-East Asia.