Composition for improving mental health problem

Abstract

To provide a novel use for carbon dioxide dissolved in water.SOLUTION: A composition for improving a mental health problem contains carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving the mental health problem.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for improving mental health disorders. [Background technology]

[0002] Carbonated water, in which carbon dioxide gas is dissolved in water, is widely consumed in restaurants and homes, and its physiological effects have been extensively studied. For example, it is known that drinking carbonated water before a meal can cause a feeling of fullness, activate the stomach and cause heart rate fluctuations, and that carbonated water can stimulate the oral cavity, lower the temperature of the feet and cause heart rate fluctuations. It is also known that drinking carbonated water can increase the work efficiency of tasks involving mental fatigue (Non-Patent Documents 1-4). It is also known that long-term intake of carbonated water can lower blood pressure, improve cognitive function, lower uric acid levels, and lower bilirubin levels (Patent Documents 1-3). On the other hand, Lactobacillus gasseri is known as an active ingredient that has the effect of improving depressive symptoms (Patent Document 4), but such effects have not been reported for carbonated water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-041377 [Patent Document 2] JP 2022-041378 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-041379 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2020-196701 A [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Cuomo R. et al., “The role of a pre-load beverage on gastric volume and food intake: comparison between non-caloric carbonated and non-carbonated beverage”, Nutrition Journal, Vol. 10, 114 (2011) [Non-Patent Document 2] Wakisaka S. et al., “The Effects of Carbonated Water upon Gastric and Cardiac activities and Fullness in Healthy Young Women,” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, Vol. 58, pp. 333-338 (2012) [Non-Patent Document 3] Ayaka Takagi et al., "Effect of oral stimulation with carbonated water on deep and peripheral body temperature - Evaluation using oral stimulation by sham-feeding", Journal of the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science, Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 19-25 (2014) [Non-Patent Document 4] Kyosuke Watanabe et al., "Anti-fatigue effect of carbonated water on acute mental fatigue in healthy adults," 15th General Meeting of the Japan Society for Fatigue Science (2019) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are still many unclear points regarding the physiological effects of carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water, and in particular, the physiological effects when it is ingested over a long period of time have not been fully investigated. Therefore, the present invention aims to investigate the physiological effects of carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water in more detail and to provide new uses thereof. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the present inventors have found that carbon dioxide dissolved in water has an effect of improving mental health disorders, and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention provides a composition for improving mental health disorders as shown below. [1] A composition for improving mental health disorders, comprising carbon dioxide dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving mental health disorders. [2] The composition according to [1], wherein the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is 3.5 gas volumes (GV) or more. [3] The composition described in [1] or [2] above, wherein the mental health disorder includes depressive symptoms. [4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which is in the form of a beverage. [5] The composition according to any one of the above [1] to [3], which is in the form of carbonated water. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, mental health disorders can be improved by ingesting carbonated water containing carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. Carbonated water is known to be a safe beverage, so continued intake of carbonated water is expected to prevent or alleviate mental health disorders and promote health. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The present invention will now be described in further detail. The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention contains carbon dioxide gas (also called carbon dioxide or CO2) dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving mental health disorders. The water in which the carbon dioxide gas is dissolved can be any water commonly used in the art, without particular limitation, as long as it can be taken orally. For example, the water can be pure water, ion-exchanged water, filtered water, well water, natural water, mineral water, tap water, or a mixture thereof.

[0009] The method of dissolving the carbon dioxide gas in water is not particularly limited, and for example, the carbon dioxide gas may be dissolved by injecting the carbon dioxide gas into the water (so-called carbonation), or the carbon dioxide gas may be dissolved by natural forces (i.e., natural water containing carbon dioxide gas may be used). The carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water in this way can be used as an effective ingredient for improving mental health disorders. The amount of carbon dioxide gas dissolved is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount effective for improving mental health disorders, and may be, for example, about 1.0 gas volume (GV) or more, preferably about 1.5 GV or more, about 3.5 GV or more, or about 4 GV or more. When the amount of carbon dioxide gas dissolved is within such a range, the effect of improving mental health disorders is more effectively exerted. In addition, the amount of carbon dioxide gas dissolved can be about 6.0 GV or less.

[0010] Here, gas volume [GV] refers to the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the composition for improving mental health disorders to the volume of the composition for improving mental health disorders at 1 atmosphere and 20°C. The gas volume can be measured, for example, using a commercially available measuring device (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. gas volume measuring device GVA-500A). More specifically, after the sample is cooled to 20°C, a gas pressure gauge is attached, the stopcock is opened once to release gas (sniff), and the stopcock is immediately closed and the sample is shaken vigorously. The gas volume value of the sample can be obtained by calculating the value when the pressure becomes constant.

[0011] In one embodiment, the composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention may be an oral composition that is orally ingested. The specific form of the composition for improving mental health disorders is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a pharmaceutical composition, a quasi-drug, a food or drink, or a feed, and the food or drink may be, for example, a general food, a food with health claims (such as a food for specified health uses, a food with nutrient functions, or a food with functional claims), or a food for special uses (such as a food for sick people, a food for infants, or a food for pregnant women and lactating women). More specifically, the composition for improving mental health disorders may be in the form of a liquid, an elixir, a limonase agent, or the like, or in the form of a beverage such as carbonated water (also called sparkling water or carbonated water), a carbonated drink containing fruit juice, a carbonated drink without fruit juice, a carbonated non-alcoholic drink (a carbonated alcoholic drink), and a carbonated alcoholic drink, but is preferably carbonated water.

[0012] Here, carbonated water refers to a sugar-free carbonated beverage that does not substantially contain sugar. In the nutrition labeling standards based on the Health Promotion Act, a beverage can be labeled as sugar-free if it contains less than 0.5g of sugar per 100mL. In this specification, as in the said regulations, a sugar-free carbonated beverage is one that contains less than 0.5g of sugar per 100mL. A preferred sugar-free carbonated beverage contains 0.0g of sugar per 100mL.

[0013] The amount of intake of the composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, when an adult takes the liquid oral composition, the composition may be taken at about 100 to about 500 mL, preferably about 300 to about 500 mL, about 1 to about 3 times a day, preferably about 2 to about 3 times a day. The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention may be taken in a single dose, but in order to more efficiently exert the effect of improving mental health disorders, it is preferable to take it continuously for 2 days or more, and particularly preferable to take it continuously for about 28 days or more.

[0014] The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention can be used to alleviate mental health disorders in a subject or to prevent the occurrence of mental health disorders in a subject. The term "mental health disorders" as used herein refers to diseases or conditions including mental disorders classified as mental and behavioral disorders, suicidal thoughts, or mental and behavioral problems such as stress, strong worries, and anxiety that may affect physical and mental health, social life, and quality of life. Specifically, the mental health disorders may include depressive symptoms, a state of feeling irritable, a state of feeling hopeless, a state of feeling restless, a state of feeling depressed, a state of feeling down, a state of feeling that doing anything is hard work, a state of feeling worthless, and / or a state of feeling gloomy, or may include mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention may be useful for preventing or alleviating such diseases or conditions. For this reason, the composition for improving mental health disorders may be labeled, for example, as follows: For those who are concerned about temporary anxiety For those who are concerned about temporary depression For those who are concerned about temporary confusion

[0015] The degree of mental health disorders such as depression can be measured by methods commonly used in the art, and the degree of improvement can be evaluated by comparing the measured values ​​before and after the ingestion of carbon dioxide dissolved in water. For example, the degree of mental health disorders such as depression can be measured using a self-administered questionnaire K6 (K6 questionnaire). The K6 questionnaire is used as an index of the degree of some mental problems, including psychological stress, by scoring the answers to six questions: (1) "Did you feel irritable?", (2) "Did you feel hopeless?", (3) "Did you feel restless?", (4) "Did you feel depressed and that nothing that happens would cheer you up?", (5) "Did you feel like doing anything is too much work?", and (6) "Did you feel like you are worthless?".

[0016] The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention may further contain any inactive ingredient commonly used in the art, for example, additives such as pharma- ceutically or food-acceptable solvents, buffers, sweeteners, acidulants, flavorings, antifoaming agents, and antioxidants, so long as the purpose of the present invention is not impaired. The composition for improving mental health disorders of the present invention may further contain additional active ingredients commonly used in the art, so long as the purpose of the present invention is not impaired. The additional active ingredients may be ingredients that have an effect of improving mental health disorders, or may be ingredients that have other effects.

[0017] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. EXAMPLES

[0018] [Test Example] Water was carbonated in the usual way to prepare 4.5GV carbonated water. No other active or inactive ingredients were added to this carbonated water. The effect of carbonated water on depressive symptoms was examined in a double-blind crossover comparative study.

[0019] Specifically, 40 subjects who received informed consent were divided into two groups of 20 subjects each, and after a period of 1 to 2 weeks without ingesting carbonated water, they were asked to consume 300 mL of carbonated water or 0GV control water twice a day (morning and afternoon) for one month. After the one-month period without intake, the subjects in the group who first consumed carbonated water were asked to consume control water, and the subjects in the group who first consumed control water were asked to consume carbonated water for one month under the same conditions as the first beverage. Before and after each period of intake of each beverage, the scores of depressive symptoms were measured using the self-administered questionnaire K6, and two-way analysis of variance and multiple comparisons using the Shaffer method were performed. On the day of measurement of the scores of depressive symptoms, the subjects did not consume carbonated water. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0020] [Table 1]

[0021] After consuming carbonated water for one month, depressive symptom scores were significantly lower than before the consumption period. On the other hand, consumption of control water did not result in a significant change in depressive symptom scores. In addition, the main effects of beverage condition and before and after consumption were not significant, but the interaction was statistically significant. Because carbonated water was not consumed on the day the depressive symptom scores were measured, the effects observed in this study are thought to indicate the physiological effects of long-term consumption of carbonated water.

[0022] From the above, it was found that ingesting carbonated water containing dissolved carbon dioxide can improve mental health disorders. Therefore, it is expected that continuous intake of carbonated water can prevent or alleviate mental health disorders and promote health.

Claims

1. A composition for improving mental health disorders, comprising carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water as an active ingredient for improving mental health disorders.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved is 3.5 gas volumes (GV) or more.

3. 3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the mental health condition comprises a depressive symptom.

4. 3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, in the form of a beverage.

5. 3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, in the form of carbonated water.

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