Method of improving quality of sleep of an organism, a method of improving overall health of an organism, and a method of raising vitality of an organism

Abstract

It is an objective of the present invention to newly create a method of improving quality of sleep and to increase consumer options for such a method. In the method according to the present invention, at least one (i) at least one lactic acid bacterium of genus Lactobacillus selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paragasseri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus and (ii) its metabolite or a composition containing the same is ingested by an organism to improve quality of sleep of the organism, to improve overall sense of health of the organism, or to improve vitality of the organism. Here, the lactic acid bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus is preferably Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and more preferably Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741).

Claims

1. A method of improving quality of sleep of an organism by ingesting to the organism at least one (i) at least one lactic acid bacterium of genus Lactobacillus selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paragasseri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus and (ii) its metabolite or a composition containing the same.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metabolite is an extracellular polysaccharide of the lactic acid bacterium.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition is fermented milk.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741).

5. A method of improving overall health of an organism by ingesting to the organism at least one (i) at least one lactic acid bacterium of genus Lactobacillus selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paragasseri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus and (ii) its metabolite or a composition containing the same.

6. A method of improving vitality of an organism by ingesting to the organism at least one (i) at least one lactic acid bacterium of genus Lactobacillus selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paragasseri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus and (ii) its metabolite or a composition containing the same.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the composition is fermented milk.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the lactic acid bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741).

9. The method according to claim 3 wherein the lactic acid bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741).

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the lactic acid bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741).

Description

EXAMPLE

[0036] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically on the basis of example. Note that this example is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0037] The following test was carried out using the Meiji Probio Yogurt R-1 drink type (the drink yogurt obtained by fermenting milk with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1(FERM BP-10741)) manufactured by Meiji Co., Ltd. Since the launch in 2009, this yogurt has been sold sufficiently, and no serious adverse reactions considered to be caused by this product have been reported in the past.

Test

[0038] A parallel group comparison study was conducted between the drink yogurt ingesting group and the non- ingesting group. Hereinafter, the test conditions will be described in detail.

(1) Subjects

[0039] Subjects in this study were those who met the following conditions. [0040] A) Women aged 20 or older with medical and welfare-related qualifications working at medical institutions in Ehime Prefecture (excluding physicians and dentists) [0041] B) Persons who can voluntarily agree to participate in the study after thoroughly understanding the purpose and content of the study.

[0042] Those who met the above conditions A) and B) and met any of the following conditions were excluded from the study subjects. [0043] a) People who are pregnant or who are scheduled to become pregnant during the planned study period [0044] b) People with milk allergy [0045] c) People with lactose intolerance [0046] d) People who has received guidance on calorie restriction from a physician. [0047] e) Participants in other clinical trials within the past 3 months [0048] f) Other people deemed ineligible by the responsible physician for this study

[0049] This study was conducted with the approval of the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Ehime University Hospital (Approval No.: Ehime University Medical School Hospital 167015) and the Clinical Trials Review Board of Meiji Co., Ltd. (Review No.: 89). Subjects were recruited at 23 medical institutions in Ehime Prefecture. As a result, 936 people (aged 20-71 years) were selected as subjects. The subjects were then randomly assigned to 473 people (39.3±11.44 years old) in the yogurt ingesting group and 463 people (39.4±11.4 years old) in the non-ingesting group. In this assignment, the number and average age of both groups in each facility were adjusted to be equal.

(2) Preliminary Preparation

[0050] Subjects were instructed not to take yogurt, lactic acid bacterial beverage and supplement containing lactic acid bacterium and the like until random assignment results were obtained after consenting to participate in the study. After random assignment into both groups, the yogurt ingesting group was instructed to consume the above-mentioned drink yogurt once a day for 16 weeks and to refrain from consuming other yogurt, lactic acid bacterial beverage and the like. On the other hand, the non-ingesting group was instructed to refrain from ingesting all yogurts, lactic acid bacterial beverage and the like for 16 weeks.

(3) Test Details and Results

[0051] (3-1) Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire

[0052] The Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire (self-administered questionnaire) was distributed to subjects before the start of the study and after the end of the study (16 weeks after the start of the study). The Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire asked subjects' subjective measures for seven items: “quality of sleep”, “start time of sleep”, “sleep duration”, “sleep efficiency”, “difficulty sleeping”, “use of sleeping agents” and “difficulty waking during daytime”. The seven items described above were then scored to calculate the total score for each subject. The higher the total score, the more the sleep disturbance is determined to have occurred. The Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire is explained in detail in 1) Tyler R S, Baker L J. Difficulties experienced by tinnitus sufferers. J Speech Hear Disor1983; 48: 150-154, 2) Buysse D J, Reynold C F 3rd, et al. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: anew instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989; 28: 193-213; 3) Doi Yuki, Preparation of Japanese Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire: Psychiatric Therapy 1998: 3: 755-763, 4) ZungW. W. K., Kazuhiko Fukuda, et al. SDS User's Guide 1983 Kyoto: Sankyo-Bo; 5) Spielberger C. D., Kiminobu Mizuguchi, et al. STAI User's Guide 1991 Kyoto: Sankyo-Bo, et al.

[0053] Statistical analysis of the subject's responses to the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire showed significant improvements in quality of sleep in the yogurt ingesting group (P=0.007, mean change in the yogurt ingesting group: 5.50.fwdarw.5.03, mean change in the non-ingesting group: 5.33.fwdarw.5.22). [0054] (3-2) MOS Short-Formed 8-item Health Survey (SF-8)

[0055] SF-8 questionnaires (self-administered questionnaires consisting of all eight questions) were distributed to subjects before the start of the study and after the end of the study (16 weeks after the start of the study) to have them make response to the questionnaires. SF-8 questionnaire asked a measure of subjective physical and mental well-being. SF-8 scales and evaluations are as follows. In each scale, 50 points are regarded as national standard points, and the higher the score, the better the quality of life. Statistical analysis of the results of the above questionnaires revealed a significant improvement in overall health (P=0.02) and vitality (P=0.01) in the yogurt ingesting group compared with the non-ingesting group. [0056] a) Physical function: How much physical activity and exercise can people do? [0057] b) Daily role function (physical): Is there a physical problem in daily life? [0058] c) Pain in the body: Is there any problem that the body was too painful to work? [0059] d) Overall health: How do people subjectively feel own overall health status? [0060] e) Vitality: How well or tired? [0061] f) Social Life Function: Is there any problem of communication with the surroundings for physical and psychological reasons? [0062] g) Daily role function (mental): Is there a mental problem in daily life? [0063] h) Mental health: how much do people have ups and downs in their mind?

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0064] The method according to the invention makes it possible to improve quality of sleep of an organism, to improve overall health of an organism and to raise vitality of an organism. Fermented milk, in particular, is a food with extensive dietary experience and can be easily ingested at home, thus providing an effective measure for improving quality of sleep, improving overall health, and maintaining vitality, and greatly contributing to improving quality of sleep, overall health and to raising vitality, and is very useful.

ACCESSION NO.

[0065] FERM BP-10741

[0066] FERM BP-10740