The role of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and sleep

Abstract

Objective: To determine if there is a relationship between the administration of the dietary supplement containing 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) and sleep. Methods: A double-blind, randomized parallel-group study was conducted. It was a 4 month study of 40 participants between the ages of 40 and 70. Males and females were recruited equally. There were 20 in each group who had existing sleep disorders, excluding sleep apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). The tools used to measure participant sleep improvement included: the Body Mass Index (BMI-a measure of body fat based on height and weight), a daily diary and the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale--20 Question (PIRS-20). The PIRS-20 design suggests improved sleep when the total score is lower. Results: Improvement in sleep in the group taking 50 mg 5-ALA, compared to controls, was significant. The mean change, from baseline through week 6, was-5.67 units less on the sleep scale than the control group with a p value of .001. The mean change from week 6 to week 10 when the participant was no longer taking the supplement was 4.55 units higher than the control with a p value of .062, which is of borderline significance. Conclusion: There appears to be a relationship between the administration of dietary supplements containing 5-ALA and sleep. The results of this study suggest that 5-ALA does in fact improve sleep. The mechanism for sleep improvement needs to be explored.