hintlSleeptryptophan

Does Tryptophan Have a Positive Effect on Sleep Quality? What One Study Shows

トリプトファン · tryptophan · Last updated:

hintl editorial team / Sleep Research Desk

Sleep genre desk — research review

白背景に並べたアーモンド(トリプトファンを含む木の実)
Research data last updated: |How this works

Key points

There are positive reports, but the evidence in humans is still limited.

For sleep quality · 1 study

hintl Evidence Score 42/100 (1 study, confidence low).

Evidence at a glance

How does tryptophan affect sleep quality?

reported, but evidence is limited
42/100 Evidence ScoreConfidence: low1 study
How the 42 is built
Study design base
meta-analysis or systematic review
+40/40
RCT bonus
no RCT
0/15
Study count bonus
1 study
+2/10
Participants bonus
participant counts not reported
0/20
Consistency bonus
needs 2+ human studies
0/10

Scoring method

There are positive reports, but the evidence in humans is still limited.

  • 1 human study (participant counts not recorded)
  • Still unknown: few studies so far; few longer-duration studies

  • There are reports that nutritional intervention involving tryptophan may support sleep quality.
  • The evidence score (a number representing the strength of the underlying information) is 42, and the reliability is limited.
  • The content is based on research data concerning women in menopause or post-menopause.

Tryptophan is a type of essential amino acid that cannot be synthesized in the body.

It is an ingredient handled in the context of nutritional intake, and is one of the subjects considered for a dietary approach.

Research has been conducted on what kind of effect nutritional intervention involving tryptophan has on our sleep. It has been reported that nutritional intervention (working on the state of the body through intake such as diet) may be able to support sleep status. This kind of research can serve as a hint when reviewing daily lifestyle habits, but it does not mean that everyone will get the same result.

This information is based on a report using a method called systematic review (a method that comprehensively gathers and analyzes related past research based on predetermined rules). This review examined 59 studies involving women in menopause or post-menopause.

Specifically, it is suggested that nutritional intervention has a positive effect on sleep. However, it is important to note that this content is mainly related to "subjective sleep quality." Reports centered on positive changes observed in subjective sleep (the sensation of how the individual feels their own sleep to have been) are the main focus. In other words, this may be related not only to data measured using specialized equipment, but also to the part where the individual feels, in their own experience, that they "slept well."

The evidence score (an indicator showing the strength of the evidence supporting the research findings) is 42, and its reliability is considered low (limited). This indicates that, in current scientific knowledge, a definitive conclusion has not yet been reached.

The reasons this reliability is considered "low" are thought to relate to the scale and content of the research. At present, more verification is needed to confirm whether the obtained reports appear consistently across everyone. Some people may not experience an effect, and the result may not match what was expected in some cases. Therefore, it is important to regard this information as one possibility.

StudyDesignNumber of ParticipantsDurationMain Result
Nutrition reviews (2024, PMID:37695299)Systematic reviewNot statedNot statedA positive effect was reported

This research is based on 59 studies targeting groups of women, including those in menopause or post-menopause.

Since there is information on the attributes of the subjects, this can serve as material for consideration in light of your own situation.

This finding is based on a systematic review.

The reported content is mainly related to subjective sleep quality, and may differ from objective indicators.

This is currently based on content from 1 study, and the reliability is considered limited.

Does tryptophan affect sleep quality?

A. Research has reported a positive effect on sleep quality. However, its reliability is limited.

What does taking tryptophan mean for menopausal women?

A. In research targeting women in menopause or post-menopause, it has been suggested that nutritional intervention may affect sleep. The content of the reports is mainly related to subjective aspects.

What is the scope of reports on tryptophan?

A. What is currently available is content based on 1 study. The reports are mainly related to subjective sleep status.

There was a research finding that nutritional intervention involving tryptophan and other nutrients may have a positive effect on sleep quality. However, it should be noted that many of the reports are based on the individual's own sense of experience, and the reliability is also limited. Why not start by reflecting on your current state?

References

This page's evaluation is based on the following peer-reviewed studies (1). Each link goes directly to the primary source (PubMed / DOI).

  1. Nutritional interventions in treating menopause-related sleep disturbances: a systematic review.systematic review · Nutrition reviews · 2024

Things to keep in mind

  • The amount and quality of research is still limited, so the findings are not conclusive.
  • Supplements are not medicines. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Related items

Evidence Scores are computed mechanically from the published research (PubMed / Semantic Scholar / OpenAlex): study design, participant numbers, and consistency across studies. An LLM is used only to extract study data, never to decide a score.

This is research-based information, not medical advice, and not a diagnosis. Consult a qualified professional about your own situation.

How the Evidence Score is calculated

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hintl editorial team / Sleep Research Desk

Sleep genre desk — research review

We continuously check the published research and translate the technical language into plain terms. The policy is to report a trend in the research, never a flat claim that something "works".

This article was produced by an editorial system from published research and is managed by the editor-in-responsibility (Takuya Hirata, representative of AJARA LLC).