Sleep cycle improving agent and food or beverage containing the same

Abstract

To provide a sleep cycle improving agent which, when incorporated into a food or drink, has no offensive odor and exhibits good taste, and a food or drink containing the agent.SOLUTION: The sleep cycle improving agent of the present invention comprises powdered oil and fat, wherein the powdered oil and fat contains 7 to 50 mass% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sleep cycle improving agent and a food or drink containing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Sleep is an essential restful activity for promoting and maintaining health throughout the life course, for children, adults, and the elderly. Insufficient sleep can have a wide range of effects, including daytime sleepiness and fatigue, increased psychosomatic symptoms such as headaches, emotional instability, and impaired attention and judgment, leading to reduced work efficiency and academic performance. It can also lead to serious consequences such as accidents. Furthermore, chronic sleep problems, including sleep deprivation, are associated with increased risk and worsening of symptoms of obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease, and are also associated with increased mortality. It is also known that sleep problems emerge early in the onset of psychiatric disorders such as depression, increasing the risk of relapse and recurrence. Furthermore, sleep problems themselves have been shown to increase the risk of developing psychiatric disorders. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain physical and mental health and improve quality of life by regularly ensuring adequate sleep in terms of both quality (perceived restfulness) and quantity (sleep duration). Taking this situation into consideration, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023" states that, from the perspective of promoting health, "ensuring adequate sleep time" and "improving sleep restfulness" are important issues that all citizens should address.

[0003] Up until now, studies have been conducted on the improvement of sleep using foods that can be ingested on a daily basis. Patent Document 1 proposes a sleep quality improver for inducing and / or promoting deep sleep (non-REM sleep) by enhancing delta power value, which contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as an active ingredient for improving sleep quality. Specifically, the delta power value during non-REM sleep that occurred immediately after the subject went to bed is used as the delta power value of the first sleep cycle, and electroencephalograms are analyzed to determine the amount of change in delta power value per minute of the first sleep cycle from before ingestion.

[0004] Patent Document 2 proposes a sleep-promoting agent containing Sn-1 oleoyl Sn-2 docosahexaenoyl glycerophosphocholine. In the examples, rat electroencephalograms were recorded and it was shown that administration of an appropriate dose increased sleep time, non-REM sleep time, and REM sleep time, and also significantly increased the proportion of REM sleep time in total sleep time. From these results, it is said that Sn-1 oleoyl Sn-2 docosahexaenoyl glycerophosphocholine can increase the amount of REM sleep that is reduced by sleep disorders and can be used for treatment.

[0005] Patent Document 3 proposes a composition for improving sleep quality, which contains a fish roe lipid preparation and diacylglyceryl ether (DAGE). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-043948 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1991-178931 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2022 / 210856 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Improvements in deep sleep and sleep duration, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, are sometimes considered to be indicators for improving sleep, but according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "Chapter 3: Lifestyle Techniques for Ensuring Healthier Sleep," one of the criteria for sleep quality is ensuring the stability of sleep, that is, having a fairly regular non-REM-REM sleep cycle with few awakenings during sleep, and further ensuring the slow-wave sleep necessary in the first half of sleep, and having a certain degree of coherence in the REM sleep that appears from the middle to latter half of sleep without being interrupted by awakenings, in other words, alternating REM sleep and non-REM sleep promotes high-quality sleep.

[0008] Patent Document 3 examines the effects of a fish roe lipid preparation and diacylglyceryl ether on improving the balance between deep sleep and REM sleep, increasing the proportion of deep sleep, increasing the proportion of REM sleep, and reducing non-REM sleep stage 1. However, it requires the use of a fish roe lipid preparation characterized by a high phospholipid content and combining it with a diacylglyceryl ether. While some believe that phospholipids bound to polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have functions different from those of triglyceride (TG) phospholipids, the mechanism of action by which they exert their effects on sleep characteristics has not been disclosed or suggested. Furthermore, there may be constraints in terms of production and cost. Currently, there is no knowledge about omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from triglycerides, which are oils and fats, or about their effects when made into powdered oils and fats.

[0009] Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in large amounts in fish oils and other foods. They are essential fatty acids that are not synthesized in the body, and their daily intake is recommended for maintaining health. To achieve this, it is desirable to add omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to foods and beverages. However, even after refinement, oils and fats containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have a distinctive odor, and even when added to foods and beverages, the odor can be a problem, making them undesirable for consumption. Therefore, they are difficult to incorporate into general foods and beverages, and are often taken as supplements such as hard capsules. However, these must be taken separately from meals, making daily intake difficult. Patent Document 3 did not fully examine the relationship between the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are components of oils and fats such as fish oil, and flavor, even from the perspective of suppressing odor.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a sleep cycle improver that has no odor and a good flavor when added to food and beverages, and food and beverages using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors conducted extensive research and discovered that powdered oils and fats containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in specific amounts effectively improve human sleep cycles when taken in moderate amounts, and that when added to food and beverages, they have a good flavor without any unpleasant odor and can be added to food and beverages and ingested on a daily basis without any burden, thereby completing the present invention. That is, the sleep cycle improver of the present invention is a sleep cycle improver containing powdered oil and fat, and is characterized in that the powdered oil and fat contains 7 to 50 mass% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The food and drink of the present invention contains the sleep cycle improving agent. The method for using powdered oils and fats of the present invention is characterized by blending powdered oils and fats containing 7 to 50% by mass of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into a food or beverage for improving the sleep cycle, in order to produce the food or beverage containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The sleep cycle improver of the present invention and the food and drink containing the same improve the sleep cycle by using powdered oils and fats. Furthermore, the distinctive odor of the active ingredients eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for improving the sleep cycle is suppressed, resulting in a good flavor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]In a pretest-posttest design, subjects were given bread containing the powdered oil of the present invention for 12 weeks (n-3 PUFA intake: 1.6 g / day), followed by a posttest. Figure 1 shows the pretest (top) and posttest (bottom) graphs of EEG data during sleep, showing the changes in sleep architecture due to intake (n=8). [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the intervals (minutes) of (a) wakefulness (WK), (b) REM sleep stages 1 and 2 (N1 and N2), (c) REM sleep, and (d) deep sleep (SWS) for each cycle from cycle 1 to cycle 5. The 480-minute sleep period was divided into five sections (1st-5th) and the pre-test (left) and post-test (right) were compared. [Figure 3] In the pretest-posttest designs, energy metabolism was measured by breath analysis using a human calorimeter. Figure 3 shows the time course of energy metabolism (energy expenditure) during the 480-minute sleep period in the pretest and posttest (n = 8). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. (Powdered oil) The sleep cycle improving agent of the present invention comprises a powdered oil or fat containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the powdered oil or fat is 7 to 50% by mass, preferably 9 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20% by mass.

[0015] By adjusting the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the powdered oil or fat within the above range, the sleep cycle improving effect can be achieved. Furthermore, when the sleep cycle improving agent of the present invention is added to food or drink, the food or drink has no distinctive odor and has a good flavor, so it can be taken daily and the sleep cycle improving effect can be obtained without burdening the user.

[0016] In the present invention, the fats and oils to be blended into the powdered fats and oils may be eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as they are, or fats and oils containing them. The fats and oils herein include compositions almost entirely composed of triglycerides, each having an ester bond between one glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules, as in conventional edible fats and oils, and hydrolysates thereof.

[0017] Examples of fats and oils containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) include fish oil and algae oil.

[0018] In addition, it is also possible to use oils and fats with an increased content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can be obtained by cooling the raw oil containing DHA to precipitate it and then removing and separating the solid portion, or by selectively hydrolyzing and removing the ester bonds of the constituent fatty acids other than eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the triglycerides using lipase or the like.

[0019] The fats and oils containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may be used singly or in combination of two or more.

[0020] The powdered oil and fat used in the present invention may contain oils and fats other than those containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as long as the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is 7 to 50 mass%.

[0021] Oils and fats other than those containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are not particularly limited, and examples include vegetable oils and fats such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, rice oil, safflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, shea butter, monkey fat, mango oil, illipe butter, cocoa butter, perilla oil, and linseed oil; animal oils and fats such as lard, beef tallow, and milk fat; fractionated oils thereof; and processed oils (those that have been subjected to one or more of the following processes: hardening and transesterification).

[0022] The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contents in fats and oils are measured by gas chromatography ("2.4.2.2-2013 Fatty Acid Composition (FID Temperature-Programmed Gas Chromatography)" of the Standard Test Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials (Japan Oil Chemists' Society). The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contents are based on the total amount of fat and oil (the total mass of the constituent fatty acids of the fat and oil) measured by gas chromatography according to the above test method.

[0023] The blending amount of oils and fats in the powdered oil and fat used in the present invention is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring long-term storage stability of the powdered oil and fats.

[0024] The powdered oil or fat used in the present invention preferably contains a carbohydrate. The carbohydrates are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include monosaccharides such as glucose, fructose, galactose, and mannose; disaccharides such as lactose, sucrose, maltose, and trehalose; trisaccharides such as maltotriose; tetrasaccharides such as maltopentaose; oligosaccharides; polysaccharides such as dextrin and starch; thickening polysaccharides; and sugar alcohols. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and polysaccharides are preferred, and dextrin is more preferred because it allows for the production of powdered oils and fats with good dispersibility.

[0025] Dextrin is a partial starch hydrolysate obtained by chemically or enzymatically depolymerizing starch, and commercially available products can be used. Examples of starch sources include corn, cassava, rice, potato, sweet potato, and wheat. Specific examples of dextrin include starch syrup, powdered syrup, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roasted dextrin, branched cyclodextrin, and indigestible dextrin. The DE of dextrin is not particularly limited, but may be 5 to 40. A value of 10 to 35 is preferred because it prevents the viscosity of the emulsion before drying and powdering from becoming too high, allowing for the production of good powdered oils and fats. DE (Dextrose Equivalent) is an index of the chain length of glucose residues, which are the structural units of dextrin, and indicates the content (%) of reducing sugars in dextrin. The higher the value, the shorter the chain length of the dextrin. DE value can be measured by the Willstätter-Schudel method.

[0026] Examples of starch include carboxymethyl starch and hydroxypropyl starch, which are obtained by etherifying raw materials such as potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, mung bean starch, sago starch, corn, waxy corn, potato, and tapioca, as well as esterified starch such as starch phosphate, starch octenyl succinate, starch acetate, heat-moisture treated starch, acid treated starch, cross-linked starch, and pregelatinized starch.

[0027] Examples of thickening polysaccharides include pullulan, gum arabic, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, gellan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tamarind seed gum, carrageenan, agar, LM pectin, and HM pectin.

[0028] The amount of carbohydrates contained in the powdered oil or fat used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but as the amount of carbohydrates contained increases, the molding power of the oil or fat increases, and the fishy or grassy odor derived from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be reduced when eaten or drunk. The mass ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to carbohydrate is preferably 0.1 to 2.0, more preferably 0.1 to 1.0, from the viewpoint of reducing the fishy or grassy smell derived from EPA and DHA when eating or drinking.

[0029] The powdered oil or fat used in the present invention can preferably contain at least one of a protein and an emulsifier in addition to the above components. Proteins enhance the dispersibility of oil droplets and function as emulsion stabilizers. The powdered oil used in the present invention coarsens the oil droplets of the oil-in-water emulsion during production while maintaining the oil droplets, but the protein maintains a structure in which fine oil droplets are dispersed. Furthermore, proteins and carbohydrates function as powder base materials, and the powdered oil after drying has a shape in which the oil is covered (encapsulated) by the powder base material. The emulsifier can further enhance the dispersibility and stability of the oil droplets.

[0030] The above-mentioned proteins are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include milk protein, soy protein, pea protein, fava bean protein, rice protein, wheat protein, collagen, gelatin, etc. Hydrolyzed products of such proteins can also be used, and in the present invention, the hydrolyzed products of the above-mentioned proteins are also referred to as proteins. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0031] As the protein, milk protein can be preferably used. Milk protein is a protein derived from milk such as cow's milk, and milk-derived protein is approximately 80% by mass of casein, with the remaining 20% ​​by mass being whey protein. Milk proteins are not particularly limited, but examples include sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, acid casein, rennet casein, and milk peptides, which are hydrolyzed products thereof. Among these, milk proteins derived from casein are preferred, and as milk proteins derived from casein, sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, acid casein, and casein hydrolysates (milk peptides) are preferred.

[0032] The amount of the above protein in the powdered oil used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, when using a milk protein derived from casein, the amount is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 1 to 10% by mass, particularly preferably 1.5 to 6% by mass, and most preferably 2.5 to 6% by mass, relative to the total amount of powdered oil, so that the viscosity of the emulsion before drying and powdering does not become too high and good powdered oil can be obtained.

[0033] The emulsifier is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include lecithin, glycerin fatty acid esters (monoglycerin fatty acid esters, diglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin organic acid fatty acid esters (diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, lactic acid monoglyceride, etc.), polyglycerin fatty acid esters), polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, calcium stearoyl lactylate, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0034] The amount of emulsifier is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of maintaining emulsion stability during production, storage, and use of the powdered oil and fat, it is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 1.0% by mass or more, based on the total amount of oil and fat. Also, from the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of bitterness due to the emulsifier, it is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 3% by mass or less, based on the total amount of oil and fat.

[0035] The powdered oil or fat used in the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such other ingredients include, but are not limited to, antioxidants that suppress deterioration of oil or fat, phosphates that improve dispersibility at the time of redissolution when milk protein is added, colorants, flavors, etc.

[0036] (Method of producing powdered oils and fats) The method for producing the powdered oil used in the present invention is not particularly limited. Preferably, the powdered oil used in the present invention can be produced by blending oil, water, and, if necessary, other components to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion, and then drying and powdering the oil-in-water emulsion.

[0037] Methods for drying and powdering oil-in-water emulsions include commonly known methods such as spray drying, vacuum freeze drying, and vacuum drying. Among these, spray-dried powdered oils and fats obtained by spray drying are preferred. The oil-in-water emulsion can be prepared by mixing an aqueous phase with an oil phase containing fats and oils, for example, by the following emulsification and homogenization steps.

[0038] In the emulsification process, each raw material is placed in a stirring tank of an emulsifier and stirred and mixed. The blending ratio of water to other raw materials is not particularly limited, but for example, the blending range of oils and fats, and if blended, other raw materials, can be within the above-mentioned range, and water can be in the range of 50 to 200 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount. The blending procedure of each raw material is not particularly limited, but for example, when blending carbohydrates, proteins, etc., these water-soluble components can be dispersed in water at room temperature and stirred under heating, or the water-soluble components can be dispersed in heated water, stirred and completely dissolved to form an aqueous phase, and then emulsified by dropping the heated and dissolved oil phase while stirring with a stirring device such as a homomixer installed in the stirring tank. When an emulsifier is blended, the oil-soluble emulsifier is usually blended in the oil phase, and the water-soluble emulsifier in the aqueous phase.

[0039] In the homogenization step, the emulsion obtained in the emulsification step is fed to a pressure homogenizer to reduce the oil droplet size. For example, a commercially available pressure homogenizer is used to reduce the oil droplet size to 10 to 200 kgf / cm. 2 The oil droplets can be made finer by applying a pressure of about 100 to homogenize the oil. Note that a heat sterilization step may be carried out before the drying and powdering.

[0040] Next, when the emulsion is dried and powdered by spray drying, the homogenized emulsion is supplied to the inlet of a spray dryer using a high-pressure pump, and high-temperature hot air is blown in and sprayed from above into the tank of the spray dryer. The spray-dried powder is deposited at the bottom of the tank. As the spray dryer, for example, a rotary atomizer type or a nozzle type spray dryer can be used. The spray-dried powder is deposited at the bottom of the tank of the spray dryer, and by removing the powder, powdered oils and fats can be produced.

[0041] As described above, the powdered oil used in the present invention is a dried oil-in-water emulsion, and when added to water, it returns to the original oil-in-water emulsion, with the oil droplets redispersed.

[0042] The median diameter of the powdered oil or fat used in the present invention when dissolved in water is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.4 to 2.2 μm. From the viewpoint of suppressing the distinctive odors of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and improving flavor, the median diameter is preferably 0.5 to 1.5 μm, more preferably 0.5 to 1.3 μm, and even more preferably 0.5 to 1.0 μm. Here, the median diameter is calculated from the particle size distribution obtained by dissolving the powdered oil in water and measuring the particle size distribution of the oil droplets in the aqueous dispersion by a laser diffraction scattering method. Specifically, the median diameter is measured on a volume basis using a particle size distribution measuring device such as a SALD-2300 wet laser diffraction device manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation.

[0043] (Sleep cycle improver) While ensuring adequate sleep time is considered important for maintaining health, it is becoming increasingly recognized that even if the sleep time is sufficient, the quality of sleep is also related to maintaining health, and that the sense of rest felt upon waking is also important for health. In other words, it is being suggested that estimating whether the time spent sleeping was adequately reflected in the original purpose of sleep, which is rest, is an important indicator that contributes to maintaining health.

[0044] Human sleep is composed of two qualitatively different states: non-REM sleep and REM sleep. REM sleep is sleep accompanied by rapid eye movement (REM), and non-REM sleep is further classified into stages N1 to N3 based on the amount of slow-wave brain waves, which are an indicator of sleep depth. Stage N3, with a high amount of slow waves, is called slow-wave sleep or deep sleep, while stages N1 and N2, with a low amount of slow waves, are called light sleep. A person's sleep typically begins in stage N1 of non-REM sleep, deepens through N2 and N3, and then REM sleep begins. This is called a sleep cycle, and this cycle is repeated four to five times during a night's sleep. The length of a sleep cycle is approximately 60 to 120 minutes, but the sleep structure of each sleep cycle differs depending on the characteristics of the appearance of slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. Non-REM slow-wave sleep is characterized by appearing immediately after falling asleep, while REM sleep has a circadian rhythm of appearing in the morning. Therefore, the first and second sleep cycles contain a lot of slow-wave sleep, while the fourth and fifth sleep cycles contain almost no slow-wave sleep and contain a lot of non-REM N1 and N2, as well as REM sleep (Ritsu University Science Forum. 2023. 435. 36-41).

[0045] In other words, a typical nighttime sleep pattern considered healthy involves falling asleep in deep non-REM sleep, followed by a regular cycle of "REM sleep (light sleep)" and "non-REM sleep (deep sleep)." REM sleep increases from the latter half of sleep until waking up, and it is said that during this time both the body and mind are in a state of preparation for awakening. This sleep cycle, in which REM sleep and non-REM sleep alternate, is repeated several times before waking up, and with each cycle the intervals between non-REM sleep become shorter and, conversely, the intervals between REM sleep become longer, which is said to be the general sleep rhythm.

[0046] The quality of sleep cannot be measured by the amount of time spent asleep alone, but is determined by a variety of factors. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "Chapter 3: Lifestyle Tips for Ensuring Healthier Sleep," one of the criteria for sleep quality is ensuring the stability of sleep, meaning that the non-REM-REM sleep cycle is somewhat regular with few awakenings during the night, and that the slow-wave sleep necessary in the first half of sleep is ensured, and the REM sleep that appears from the middle to latter half of sleep is not interrupted by awakenings or other factors and is somewhat cohesive. In other words, alternating REM and non-REM sleep promotes high-quality sleep. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023" emphasizes the importance of maintaining physical and mental health and improving quality of life by ensuring sufficient sleep in terms of both quality (perceived restfulness) and quantity (sleep duration). While sleep duration reflects sleep quantity, sleep duration reflects sleep quality. Good sleep is ensured by ensuring sufficient sleep quantity (sleep duration) and quality (perceived restfulness). This can be impaired by an inappropriate sleep environment, lifestyle habits, consumption of habitual substances, or the development of sleep disorders. Because sleep plays an important role in recovering from fatigue and stress accumulated throughout the day, improving sleep duration (perceived restfulness) is also important. This also highlights the health risks and mental health impacts of poor sleep duration. Thus, improved REM sleep cyclicity is thought to be associated with improved sleep quality and sleep duration.

[0047] When the quality of sleep declines, symptoms such as feeling like you haven't slept enough, feeling tired even after getting enough sleep, and feeling sluggish even after just waking up may appear. When this happens, it may be that the balance between REM and non-REM sleep is disrupted.

[0048] REM and non-REM sleep are not simply light and deep sleep; each is thought to have an important role. REM sleep is considered "body sleep" and non-REM sleep "brain sleep," and both play important roles. Eye movement during REM sleep indicates brain activity equivalent to that seen during wakefulness. Meanwhile, skeletal muscle activity disappears, resulting in muscle relaxation and energy conservation. Furthermore, during REM sleep, the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are irregular, leading to fluctuations in blood pressure and pulse rate. Non-REM sleep is considered a time for the brain to recover, with both brain and skeletal muscle activity at rest, resulting in intensive cooling and rest for the cerebral cortex. While the mind is deeply asleep, the muscles are not particularly relaxed, and both brain and skeletal muscle activity are at rest. During non-REM sleep, the parasympathetic nervous system is dominant, resulting in decreases in body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. It is believed that non-REM sleep, especially slow-wave sleep, promotes growth hormone secretion, protein assimilation, and immune enhancement, allowing for recovery of the brain and body, while REM sleep promotes mental recovery by regulating memory, information processing, and emotional functions. In addition to slow-wave sleep, REM sleep is also essential for maintaining normal physical and mental functions, and sleep with an appropriate amount of both REM and non-REM sleep is considered to be of high quality.

[0049] Normally, deep non-REM sleep occurs in bursts during the first half of the sleep cycle, then gradually becomes shallower and the REM sleep time gets longer. In order to feel like you've slept well, it's important to get enough non-REM sleep (N3) during the first half of the sleep cycle. If you don't get enough deep non-REM sleep, even if you sleep for the same amount of time, your brain won't get enough rest, and you won't feel like you've slept soundly.

[0050] When this healthy periodicity and deep non-REM sleep up to the first half of the cycle are impaired, it can lead to increased awakenings during the night (frequent waking up in the middle of the night), difficulty falling asleep (trouble falling asleep), decreased slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), and early morning awakenings (waking up early in the morning), which can affect physical and mental health. Even if you sleep for a sufficient amount of time, you may not feel satisfied (rested) when you wake up, and you may feel insufficient or very sleepy during the day. Sleep has two elements: "duration" and "quality," and deep sleep disorders can be said to be a condition in which you are not getting good quality sleep.

[0051] Good quality sleep, which gives you the feeling of having slept deeply and soundly upon waking, promotes physical and mental health. Improving your cycle plays a role in this. Sleep functions to restore the body and mind, and is deeply connected to health, just like lifestyle habits such as diet, exercise, smoking, and drinking. Getting good quality sleep helps regulate your daily rhythm and helps maintain hormonal balance in the body, which can help prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, and can also prevent mental ill-health such as depression and anxiety. Getting good quality sleep improves your daytime condition and allows you to be more active, and an active daytime lifestyle in turn leads to better quality sleep and promotes physical and mental health.

[0052] The present invention, as a sleep cycle improving agent, has the effect of improving the periodicity of REM sleep appearance and further shortening sleep latency and deep sleep latency. The periodicity of REM sleep is improved, and a clear cycle between REM sleep and deep sleep can be confirmed up to the latter half of the cycle. The interval between wakefulness gradually lengthens with each passing cycle, promoting a good night's sleep. From the middle to the latter half of sleep, the interval between REM sleep increases, and the gradually shortening intervals of REM sleep also appear clearly and without interruption at regular intervals. That is, the periodicity between REM sleep and deep sleep is particularly improved, and the duration of non-REM sleep stages N1 and N2 is generally shorter. These are included in the sleep cycle improvement of the present invention. In the early stages of sleep, the period of wakefulness is shortened, and the transition to deep sleep is accelerated. The timing of sleep onset and deep sleep is accelerated, and sleep latency and deep sleep latency are shortened. In other words, a healthy nighttime sleep pattern is achieved, in which deep non-REM sleep continues at the onset, followed by a regular cycle of "REM sleep (light sleep)" and "non-REM sleep (deep sleep)." REM sleep increases from the latter half of sleep until waking up, and it is said that during this time both the mind and body are in a state of preparation for awakening. This sleep cycle, in which REM sleep and non-REM sleep alternate, is repeated several times before waking up, and with each repetition of the cycle, the intervals between non-REM sleep become shorter and, conversely, the intervals between REM sleep become longer, which is said to be the general sleep rhythm. However, this sleep rhythm can be improved to a more healthy one.

[0053] According to the sleep cycle improver of the present invention, powdered oils and fats containing 7 to 50% by mass of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) effectively improve human sleep cycles at moderate intake levels. The recommended daily intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for adults is 1.6 to 2.2 g (according to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare's "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, 2020 Edition"). It is desirable that such long-term intake improves sleep cycles and that the flavor is tolerable for long-term consumption. The sleep cycle improver of the present invention satisfies both of these requirements. Unlike bulk oils and fats, the sleep cycle improver of the present invention, when added to foods and beverages, has a pleasant flavor without the distinctive odor of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), making it easy to consume on a daily basis when added to foods and beverages.

[0054] (Uses and methods of using powdered oils and fats) The use of the sleep cycle improver of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it can be incorporated into, for example, food and beverage products. Incorporation into food and beverage products is preferred because it allows for daily intake of the sleep cycle improver. Specific examples of food and beverage products include beverages (coffee drinks, tea drinks, etc.), soups (corn potage, etc.), baked goods (sweets, bread, etc.), prepared foods, desserts (frozen desserts, etc.), noodles, etc. As a method of using the powdered oils and fats described above when blending them into food and beverages, to produce food and beverages containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for improving sleep cycles, powdered oil and fats containing 7 to 50% by mass of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be blended into the food and beverage. [Example]

[0055] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. (Preparation of powdered oils and fats) In the examples and comparative examples, powdered oils and fats were prepared according to the following procedure. The raw oils used to prepare the powdered oils and fats are shown below. (Oils and fats) ·Refined fish oil-1 (EPA / DHA content 20% by mass) ·Refined fish oil-2 (EPA / DHA content 24% by mass) ·Refined algae oil-1 (EPA / DHA content 40% by mass) ·Refined algae oil-2 (EPA / DHA content 68% by mass) After adjusting the temperature of the oil to 70°C, emulsifiers (glycerin fatty acid ester and lecithin) and antioxidants were added to prepare the oil phase. After adjusting the temperature of water to 60°C, sugars and sodium caseinate were added to prepare the water phase. The aqueous phase was maintained at 60°C, and the entire amount of the oil phase was added while stirring the aqueous phase with a homomixer, resulting in an oil-in-water emulsion. This resulted in an emulsion containing 50 parts by mass of water per 100 parts by mass of the total formulation shown in Table 1. The resulting emulsion is then mixed with a pressure homogenizer at a pressure of 10 to 200 kgf / cm 2 The mixture was homogenized at a pressure of 1000 kJ / min. This homogenized emulsion was spray-dried using a nozzle-type spray dryer to obtain a powdered oil (spray drying conditions: inlet temperature 210°C). Table 1 shows the composition of the powdered oil after spray drying. These powdered oils were used as ingredients in the following foods and beverages.

[0056] In each of the following sensory evaluations, the panel conducted a five-taste (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami) discrimination test, a taste concentration difference discrimination test, a food taste discrimination test, a standard olfactory test, and a color difference △E=0.8 discrimination test using a color difference measuring device such as the SE6000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd., and selected 8 men and 12 women in their 20s to 50s who were deemed to be suitable for each test.

[0057] [Median diameter] The oil droplet diameter (median diameter) of each of the powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples when dissolved in water was measured using a wet laser diffraction device, SALD-2300, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation.

[0058] [Evaluation upon eating (fishy smell, unpleasant taste)] The powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples, which had been kept at 25°C overnight, were compared when they were held in the mouth with the raw material oils of those powdered oils, and the results were evaluated according to the following criteria based on the number of people out of 20 panelists who answered that "the odor (fishy odor, grassy odor, etc.) is reduced." Evaluation criteria ◎+: 16 or more out of 20 people evaluated that the odor was suppressed. ⊚: 13 to 15 out of 20 people evaluated that the odor was suppressed. ◯: 10 to 12 out of 20 people evaluated that the odor was suppressed. ×: 9 or less out of 20 people evaluated that the odor was suppressed.

[0059] [Analysis of secondary oxidation product (2-4 heptadienal)] The presence or absence and degree of fishy and grassy odors in the powdered oils and fats were determined by determining the amount of 2-4 heptadienal produced, which is one of the substances that cause off-flavor in polyunsaturated fatty acid oils and fats, using the method described below, and evaluating it according to the following criteria. 1 g of powdered oil is dispensed into a headspace analysis vial and heated at 60°C for 25 minutes, after which the volatile substances generated are collected by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). SPME fibers such as 50 / 30 μm DVB / CAR / PDMS manufactured by SUPELCO can be used. The volatile substances were thermally desorbed at 240°C for 5 minutes at the injection port of a GC / MS system (e.g., trade name "GC 7890A MSD 5975C", manufactured by Agilent Technologies), and the volatile substances were loaded onto a gas chromatography column (e.g., trade name "DB-WAX UI", 60 m x 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.5 μm, manufactured by Agilent Technologies). Evaluation criteria ◎: 2-4 heptadienal is less than 20,000 ppm 〇: 2-4 heptadienal is 20,000 ppm or more and less than 48,000 ppm ×: 2-4 heptadienal is 48,000 ppm or more

[0060] (Making sweet bread) Sweet breads using the powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples were made according to the following formulations and steps. ·Composition Strong flour 70 parts by mass 30 parts by weight of plain flour Salt 0.8 parts by mass 32 parts by mass of white sugar 5 parts by weight of whole eggs Concentrated milk 5 parts by mass Margarine 20 parts by weight Powdered oil 15 parts by mass Yeast 3 parts by weight Yeast food 0.1 parts by mass 45 parts by mass of water ·Process Mixing: 1.5 minutes on low speed, then 1.5 minutes on low speed after adding margarine, then 5 minutes on medium-high speed (using a hook) Baking temperature 27℃ Fermentation: 40 minutes at room temperature of 27°C and humidity of 75% Bench time: 28℃ 20 minutes Forming: Stretched in a molder and formed into a roll shape Temperature: 38℃, humidity: 80%, 40 minutes Bake at 210℃ for 12 to 18 minutes

[0061] [Sweet bread flavor] The sweet breads using the powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples were stored at 25°C for one day and then evaluated according to the same criteria as those used for the evaluation at the time of eating (fishy odor and unpleasant taste).

[0062] (Coffee making) Sugar and the powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples were added to the coffee extract in the following proportions, heated to dissolve, and then heated water was added to completely dissolve the mixture to prepare coffee. This was then heated at 121°C for 20 minutes and then allowed to stand at 10°C. (Coffee blend) Coffee extract* 6 parts by mass Sugar 5 parts by mass Powdered oil 1 part by mass Water 88 parts by mass *Coffee powder (commercially available) was dissolved in hot water to a concentration of 20% by mass, and the pH was adjusted to 6.8 with disodium hydrogen phosphate.

[0063] [Coffee flavor] The coffee samples using the powdered oils and fats of the Examples and Comparative Examples were stored at 10°C for one day and then evaluated according to the same criteria as those used for the evaluation at the time of eating (fishy odor and unpleasant taste).

[0064] The results of the above evaluation are shown in Table 1.

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] [Evaluation of the effect of long-term intake of food containing powdered oils on sleep cycles] The experiment was conducted with approval from the Medical Research Ethics Committee for Human Subjects (approval numbers: Jinren-2019-11A, Jinren-2020-09A). Eight young, healthy male subjects participated in the experiment, which was conducted using a pre-test-post-test design with each subject completing two trials. After the pre-test, a dietary intervention was conducted in which participants consumed bread (Example 2) containing powdered oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 12 weeks (n-3 PUFA intake: 1.6 g / day), followed by a post-test.

[0067] In each trial, blood samples were taken from the subjects, and their breath was analyzed, and sleep electroencephalograms were measured. The blood samples were used to measure the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes, n-3 fatty acid metabolites, and hormone concentrations. Energy metabolism was also measured through breath analysis using a human calorimeter, and sleep architecture was assessed using a sleep electroencephalogram (Insomnograf, S'UIMIN).

[0068] Figure 1 shows the changes in sleep architecture (n=8) due to intake of the drug, as shown by graphs of the pre-test (top) and post-test (bottom) obtained by measuring and analyzing EEG data during sleep. Figure 2 shows the intervals (minutes) for each period from cycle 1 to cycle 5 of (a) wakefulness (WK), (b) REM sleep stages 1 and 2 (N1 and N2), (c) REM sleep, and (d) deep sleep (SWS). The 480-minute sleep period was divided into five sections (1st-5th), and the pre-test (left) and post-test (right) were compared.

[0069] A sleep graph, also known as a hypnogram or sleep progression chart, depicts the changes in sleep state over the course of a night. The five-stage classification of sleep—"WK" (wake), "REM" (REM sleep), and three stages of non-REM sleep (N1, N2, N3)—is widely used as an international standard in sleep medicine and sleep science. Figure 1 also shows a five-stage sleep graph (excluding "NS," which indicates indeterminable) based on this standard. Comparing Figures 1 and 2(a)–(d) between the pretest and posttest, the interval between wakefulness (WK) was shorter and the transition to deep sleep (SWS) was earlier in the posttest than in Figures 1 and 2(a). The timing of sleep onset and deep sleep was earlier, and both sleep latency and deep sleep latency were shorter. Subsequently, the posttest revealed a clearer cycle between REM and deep sleep up to the fifth cycle compared to the pretest. The REM sleep (REM) interval was relatively short in cycle 1 but increased from cycle 2 onwards, becoming longer from cycle 2 onwards, particularly from the middle to the latter half of the cycle, from cycle 2 to cycle 4, compared to the pre-test (Fig. 2(c)). The deep sleep (SWS) interval was relatively long in cycle 1 but decreased from cycle 2 onwards. This trend was consistent with the pre-test, but in the post-test, the interval remained longer from cycle 2 onwards, especially from the middle to the latter half of the cycle, from cycle 2 to cycle 4, compared to the pre-test (Fig. 2(d)). The wake (WK) interval gradually lengthened from cycle 2 to cycle 5 in the post-test, suggesting good sleep quality (Fig. 2(a)). Furthermore, the intervals between NREM sleep stages N1 and N2 were generally shorter, particularly from cycle 2 onwards, and especially from cycle 2 to cycle 4, from the middle to the latter half of the cycle, compared to the pre-test (Fig. 2(b)). This corresponds to the clear cycle of rapid eye movement (REM) and deep sleep (SWS) throughout the entire period in the post-test, and the duration of non-REM sleep stages N1 and N2 was generally short. These findings confirmed an improvement in the periodicity of REM sleep.In other words, deep non-REM sleep follows as you fall asleep, ensuring the slow-wave sleep necessary for the first half of sleep, and then the cycle of REM and non-REM sleep repeats regularly, resulting in fewer awakenings, and the intervals between non-REM sleep shorten with each cycle. Conversely, the intervals between REM sleep lengthen from the middle to the latter half of sleep, and REM sleep is not interrupted by awakenings or other events, and is relatively cohesive, with the alternation of REM and non-REM sleep promoting high-quality sleep.

[0070] In addition to the sleep cycle assessment, energy metabolism was measured in each trial by breath analysis using a human calorimeter (FHC-20S, Fuji Medical Industry Co., Ltd.). Figure 3 is a graph showing the time course of energy metabolism (energy expenditure) over a 480-minute sleep period (n = 8) in the pre-test and post-test. Energy expenditure during sleep increased in the post-test compared to the pre-test, demonstrating that long-term ingestion of the powdered oils and fats of the present invention activates energy metabolism during sleep in humans. Although not shown, an increase in carbohydrate burning 2 hours after meals and an increase in fat burning during sleep were also observed. Humans burn carbohydrates after meals, lipids during fasting sleep, and carbohydrates as the brain awakens to wake up. In this way, we spend 24 hours flexibly switching between oxidative substrates. This ability is called metabolic flexibility, and the above results indicate that metabolic flexibility improved in the post-test.

[0071] Long-term intake of foods containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids activates energy metabolism during sleep without compromising sleep quality. This finding is crucial for preventing lifestyle-related diseases through diet. While strong evidence is emerging that there is a close relationship between energy metabolism during sleep and the control of sleep depth, the causal relationship between the two remains unclear. Previous research that simultaneously analyzed sleep depth and the metabolome in exhaled gases has reported that lipid metabolic pathways are activated during deep sleep, while glucose metabolic pathways are activated during REM sleep (Nowak N, et al. Rapid and reversible control of human metabolism by individual sleep states. Cell Reports 37, 109903, October 26, 2021). It has been reported that capillary blood flow (red blood cells: RBCs) increases rapidly during REM sleep, with similar levels during wakefulness and non-REM sleep (Cerebral capillary blood flow upsurge during REM sleep is mediated by A2a receptor. Tsai et al., Cell Reports 36, 109558, August 17, 2021). RBCs have been suggested to play a role in transporting oxygen to cells, suggesting that RBCs may enhance glucose and lipid metabolism. They transport oxygen during REM sleep and burn fat during non-REM sleep. Increased REM sleep may also enhance glucose and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, increased energy metabolism due to increased erythrocyte membrane phospholipids and the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids in blood fatty acids may be a possible mechanism of action for the improved sleep rhythm. Energy metabolism and sleep in humans with a monophasic sleep pattern are coordinated and mutually regulated via neuropeptides and hormones. The finding that dietary fatty acids mediate energy metabolism and sleep and have the effect of enhancing and improving metabolic flexibility highlights the importance of the fatty acid composition of the lipids we consume on a daily basis.

[0072] [Measurement of DHA and EPA content in powdered oils and fats with and without heat treatment] The powdered oil and fat of Example 4 and the bulk oil and fat blended with the powdered oil and fat of Example 4 were each heated, and the change in the amount of DHA and EPA was evaluated. The heating test was carried out using a "743rancimat" (manufactured by Metrohm). Specifically, 3 g of powdered oil was placed in a glass tube and heated at 110°C for 5 hours. Oil was then extracted from the powdered oil with hexane before and after heating, and measurements were carried out according to the fatty acid analysis method for oils and fats (standard oil and fat analysis test method) described above. The DHA and EPA amounts were calculated from the area ratios of DHA and EPA to the total peak area. The results are shown in Table 2. Compared to bulk oil (fish oil), powdered oil (fish oil powder) significantly reduced the loss of both DHA and EPA content due to heating. This suggests that when used as a sleep cycle improver, powdered oil prevents the loss of DHA and EPA content due to oxidation over time or when heated, making it more effective at improving the sleep cycle than bulk oil.

[0073] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A sleep cycle improver containing powdered oil and fat, wherein the powdered oil and fat contains 7 to 50 mass % of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

2. 2. The sleep cycle improving agent according to claim 1, wherein the powdered oil or fat contains a carbohydrate, and the mass ratio of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the carbohydrate (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) / carbohydrate) is 0.1 to 2.

0.

3. A food or drink containing the sleep cycle improving agent according to claim 1.

4. A method for using powdered oils and fats to produce food and drink products containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for improving sleep cycles, comprising blending powdered oils and fats containing 7 to 50% by mass of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and / or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into the food and drink products.

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