Postpartum mental improvement agent and functional food product containing same

Abstract

Provided are a postpartum mental improvement agent and a functional food product that contains the postpartum mental improvement agent that can be taken orally by a mother in the perinatal period to improve unstable mental states such as postpartum depression in the postpartum period, thereby preventing postpartum depression and the like. The present invention contains an α-linolenic acid derivative as an active ingredient. The α-linolenic acid derivative is a triglyceride that includes at least one ester-bonded molecule of α-linolenic acid. The α-linolenic acid derivative is contained in a vegetable oil that is at least one of perilla oil, linseed oil, shiso seed oil, chia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, and green nut oil. In general, a prescribed amount is taken orally every day for at least 12 weeks from the second trimester of pregnancy. The prescribed amount to be taken orally is at least 2.4 g / day in terms of α-linolenic acid.

Description

Postpartum mental health improvement agent and functional food containing the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a mental health improving agent for improving unstable mental states including postpartum depression during the postpartum period, and a functional food containing the same.

[0002] In today's Japan, declining birth rates and older women giving birth have become social phenomena. Furthermore, pregnancy and childbirth are major life events for women, accompanied by rapid hormonal fluctuations and changes in body shape. Therefore, even during the perinatal period (the period before and after childbirth), mothers' moods are unstable, and this can develop into baby blues and postpartum depression. First-time pregnancies and older women giving birth are particularly prone to anxiety. Furthermore, perinatal mothers tend to avoid medication as much as possible, considering the impact it may have on their babies. Therefore, it is hoped that daily diet and living environment can help stabilize a mother's mental state.

[0003] n-3 fatty acids are believed to have many effects, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, suppressing inflammation, and maintaining brain function. In particular, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been approved as pharmaceuticals. n-3 fatty acids cannot be synthesized in the body, so they must be ingested directly from food, with fish consumption in particular attracting attention. The following non-patent document 1 reports that the intake of fish, EPA, and DHA may be inversely correlated with depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

[0004] J Psychiatr Res, 2013(47), 572-578

[0005] In addition to EPA and DHA obtained from fish diets, n-3 fatty acids can also be utilized, including α-linolenic acid, which is abundant in vegetable oils, particularly perilla oil and flaxseed oil. Many animals are thought to synthesize EPA and DHA in their bodies using α-linolenic acid as a raw material. As a specific example, perilla oil, which is rich in α-linolenic acid, is known to have preventive and improving effects against a variety of diseases, including coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Therefore, perilla oil has been attracting attention in recent years as a health food, and it is thought that perinatal mothers will have little resistance to consuming it in their diet.

[0006] However, when perilla oil is ingested as a food, there are no reports that nutritional support during the perinatal period can stabilize the mental state of the mother during the postpartum period, focusing in particular on the mental state during the postpartum period, which is the period from the end of delivery until the mother's body returns to its pre-pregnancy state after the changes brought about by pregnancy and childbirth, and no methods have been proposed to make it work effectively.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a mental improvement agent for the postpartum period that can be orally taken by perinatal mothers to improve unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period and prevent postpartum depression, etc., and a functional food containing the same.

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the inventors evaluated the mental state during the postpartum period when perilla oil was taken for 12 weeks from the middle of pregnancy, and investigated the relationship between maternal blood fatty acids and mental risk, which led to the completion of the present invention.

[0009] That is, according to claim 1, the mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to the present invention is a preventive agent that improves unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period by taking it from mid-pregnancy until delivery, and is characterized by containing an α-linolenic acid derivative as an active ingredient.

[0010] Furthermore, according to claim 2 of the present invention, there is provided a mental improvement agent for the postpartum period as described in claim 1, characterized in that the α-linolenic acid derivative is a triglyceride in which at least one molecule of α-linolenic acid is ester-bonded.

[0011] Furthermore, according to claim 3, the present invention provides the mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to claim 2, characterized in that the α-linolenic acid derivative is abundantly contained in at least one vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of perilla oil, linseed oil, perilla seed oil, chia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, and green nut oil.

[0012] Furthermore, according to claim 4 of the present invention, there is provided a mental improvement agent for the postpartum period as described in claim 3, characterized in that the perilla oil contains 50 to 65% of alpha-linolenic acid in total fat.

[0013] Furthermore, according to claim 5, the present invention provides a mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is characterized in that it exerts an effect of preventing postpartum depression by improving unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period, when taken orally in a predetermined amount, in principle, continuously every day for at least 12 weeks from the middle of pregnancy.

[0014] According to claim 6 of the present invention, there is provided a mental improvement agent for the postpartum period according to claim 5, characterized in that the predetermined amount to be orally ingested is 2.4 g / day or more in terms of α-linolenic acid.

[0015] Furthermore, according to claim 7, the functional food of the present invention is characterized in that it contains the mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period described in claim 5, thereby improving unstable mental states including postpartum depression during the postpartum period.

[0016] Furthermore, according to claim 8, the functional food of the present invention is characterized in that it contains a mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period described in any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6, thereby improving unstable mental states including postpartum depression during the postpartum period.

[0017] According to the above configuration, the postpartum mental health improving agent of the present invention contains an α-linolenic acid derivative as an active ingredient. Furthermore, this α-linolenic acid derivative may be a triglyceride in which at least one molecule of α-linolenic acid is ester-bonded. Furthermore, these active ingredients may be those contained in perilla oil, linseed oil, perilla seed oil, chia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, or green nut oil. Furthermore, the perilla oil may contain 50 to 65% α-linolenic acid based on total fat.

[0018] Furthermore, the mental health improving agent for the postpartum period is orally taken in a predetermined amount every day, in principle, for at least 12 weeks from the middle of pregnancy. The predetermined amount to be orally taken may be 2.4 g / day or more in terms of α-linolenic acid.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the functional food of the present invention contains the above-mentioned mental health improving agent for the postpartum period, thereby improving unstable mental states including postpartum depression during the postpartum period.

[0020] Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a postpartum mental improvement agent and a functional food containing the same that can be orally taken by perinatal mothers to improve unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period and prevent postpartum depression.

[0021] The amount of α-linolenic acid relative to the total amount of fatty acids in maternal blood collected during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy and the day after delivery

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the present invention, the unstable mental state, including postpartum depression during the postpartum period, is considered to be represented by the items of the evaluation method (EPDS) described below. Specifically, these include a depression item, a childcare anxiety item, and sleep disorders due to depression. The depression item checks, for example, whether the patient was able to laugh, whether they looked forward to things, whether they felt sad or miserable, whether they cried because they felt unhappy, and whether they had thoughts of harming themselves.

[0023] For parenting anxiety items, we check the extent to which, for example, you blamed yourself unnecessarily when things didn't go well, you felt anxious or worried for no apparent reason, you were overcome with fear for no apparent reason, and it was difficult having so much to do.For sleep disorders due to depression, we check the extent to which, for example, you had trouble sleeping because you were feeling unhappy, or you felt sad or miserable.

[0024] Meanwhile, the mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to the present invention improves the mental state during the postpartum period by containing an α-linolenic acid derivative as an active ingredient. First, essential fatty acids, including α-linolenic acid, will be described. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have functions essential for maintaining the body, are called essential fatty acids because they cannot be synthesized in the human body and must be ingested through food. These essential fatty acids include n-6 fatty acids (also known as ω-6 fatty acids) such as linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid, and n-3 fatty acids (also known as ω-3 fatty acids) such as α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

[0025] Intake of these essential fatty acids is known to be effective in preventing lifestyle-related diseases through physiological actions such as lowering blood triglyceride levels, preventing arrhythmia, improving vascular endothelial cell function, and preventing thrombus formation. In particular, the balance of these intakes (ω6 / ω3) is considered to be important for health.

[0026] On the other hand, if the goal is not to prevent lifestyle-related diseases but to improve the mental state of perinatal mothers by having them eat a daily diet while taking into consideration the impact on their babies, it is unlikely that dietary restrictions would be implemented while taking into consideration the intake balance of essential fatty acids (ω6 / ω3).The present invention aims to improve the mental state of modern perinatal mothers while maintaining their normal dietary habits.

[0027] In the present invention, examples of α-linolenic acid derivatives include triglycerides in which at least one molecule of α-linolenic acid is ester-linked. Triglycerides in which α-linolenic acid is ester-linked include α-linolenic acid triglyceride, α-linolenic acid diglyceride, and α-linolenic acid monoglyceride, and mixtures thereof may also be used. Furthermore, of the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol, the hydroxyl group other than the one ester-linked to α-linolenic acid may be ester-linked to another organic acid, such as linoleic acid.

[0028] Vegetable oils (mainly extracted from seeds) that contain a large amount of triglycerides esterified with α-linolenic acid include perilla oil, linseed oil, perilla seed oil, chia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, green nut oil, etc. Among these, perilla oil is said to contain a large amount of α-linolenic acid, at 50 to 65% of the total fat.

[0029] Therefore, in the present invention, an α-linolenic acid derivative is orally ingested to improve the mental state during the postpartum period while maintaining a normal dietary lifestyle as a perinatal mother. In principle, the mental state improving agent for the postpartum period according to the present invention is preferably orally ingested in a predetermined amount of the α-linolenic acid derivative daily. The daily intake of the α-linolenic acid derivative is preferably 2.4 g / day or more in terms of α-linolenic acid.

[0030] As mentioned above, α-linolenic acid derivatives can be obtained by consuming perilla oil, which is readily available. Regular perilla oil is extracted from perilla seeds or refined through processes such as pressing and deodorization, and contains approximately 60% α-linolenic acid. Therefore, assuming that perilla oil contains 60% of the components, consuming 4 g of this oil daily will provide 2.4 g of α-linolenic acid per day.

[0031] In this study, to confirm the preventive effect of perilla oil intake on postpartum depression, the mental state during the postpartum period was evaluated after 12 weeks of intake starting from mid-pregnancy (18-25 weeks of gestation). The relationship between maternal blood fatty acids and mental risk was also examined. The intake test is described below.

[0032] <<Subjects>> This intake study was conducted with pregnant women from a single institution (hospital) as subjects, with approval for the study from the ethical review committee. The intervention group (Example) consisted of 100 subjects, and the observation group (Comparative Example) consisted of 218 subjects. Each subject was a healthy primipara (ages 19-45).

[0033] <Intake of test food> The intervention group was given the test food (perilla oil) in addition to their normal diet for 12 weeks starting from the middle of pregnancy (18-25 weeks). The dose was 4g / day of perilla oil (equivalent to 2.4g / day of alpha-linolenic acid).

[0034] <Evaluation of mental state> Mental state was evaluated twice: once in the middle of pregnancy when the study began and once immediately after giving birth (up to the fifth day after giving birth), using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), which indicates mental distress. One month after giving birth, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered as the primary measure, and the Mother Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) was administered as a secondary measure.

[0035] <Relationship between maternal blood fatty acids and mental risk> Maternal blood samples were collected during the early, middle and late stages of pregnancy and the day after delivery, and the fatty acid composition was analyzed.

[0036] Results: When the state of mental distress was investigated using the K6 during the second trimester and immediately after delivery, the proportion of women with a high score of 13 or higher was very low, at less than 3%. This indicates that in both the intervention and observation groups, there were very few women with mental instability during pregnancy.

[0037] Furthermore, the proportion of women in the observation group who scored 9 or higher on the EPDS administered one month after delivery was 21.6%. This is considered to be an average for a Japanese population of primiparas. Meanwhile, the intervention group showed a significant decrease (p=0.042) compared to the observation group, with a score of 12.0%. Furthermore, in a subanalysis of women whose perilla oil intake rate for 12 weeks was 70% or higher, the proportion of women in the intervention group (n=84) who scored high on the EPDS further decreased to 9.5% (vs. observation group: p=0.015). These findings suggest that taking perilla oil during pregnancy can stabilize postpartum mental health.

[0038] The percentage of patients with high scores of 3 or 5 or more on the MIBS was 24-30% (≧3) and 10-14% (≧5), respectively, and there was no significant difference between the intervention group and the observation group.

[0039] Furthermore, the amount of α-linolenic acid relative to the total amount of fatty acids in the maternal blood (erythrocytes) collected during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy and the day after delivery was analyzed. The analytical results are shown in Table 1 and Figure 1.

[0040]

[0041] As can be seen from Table 1 and Figure 1, in the early stages of pregnancy, before the intake of a mental health improver (perilla oil) during the postpartum period, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid in maternal blood was similar in the intervention group and the observation group. In the middle stages of pregnancy, when the intake of a mental health improver (perilla oil) during the postpartum period began, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid in the intervention group clearly exceeded that of the observation group. Furthermore, in the middle stages of pregnancy, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid increased even in the observation group that did not take a mental health improver (perilla oil) during the postpartum period, but this is thought to be a normal increase in the level of alpha-linolenic acid that was being supplied to the fetus by the mother herself, due to an attempt to supply the fetus with alpha-linolenic acid that had accumulated in the mother herself.

[0042] Furthermore, in the third trimester of pregnancy, when the intake of a mental health improver (perilla oil) during the postpartum period was continued, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid further increased in the intervention group. On the other hand, in the observation group, where no mental health improver (perilla oil) was taken during the postpartum period, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid accumulated in the mother's body was not enough to cover the increase, and the level decreased. Thus, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid in the intervention group increased by continuing to take a mental health improver (perilla oil) during the postpartum period.

[0043] On the other hand, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid in the maternal blood collected the day after delivery was similar in the intervention and observation groups, and was the same as in the early stages of pregnancy before taking the mental health improvement agent (perilla oil) during the postpartum period. This is thought to be because the intake of perilla oil had already ended about one month before delivery, so the intervention group's levels had decreased to the same extent as the observation group.

[0044] Furthermore, a case-control study using an observational group found a correlation between α-linolenic acid in maternal red blood cells and high EPDS scores. Specifically, low levels of α-linolenic acid in maternal red blood cells may be associated with a higher risk of achieving a high EPDS score.

[0045] In this example, examples of functional foods containing a postpartum mental health improvement agent, the main ingredient of which is perilla oil, which is rich in triglycerides esterified with α-linolenic acid, are shown. Note that the functional foods of the present invention are not limited to these examples, and also include perilla oil itself, which is extracted from perilla seeds or refined through processes such as pressing and deodorization.

[0046] <Example 1: Blended Oil> This example relates to a blended oil made by blending perilla oil, which contains α-linolenic acid, an ω-3 fatty acid, with olive oil, which contains ω-9 fatty acids. The blending ratios of each blended oil are shown in Table 2. Note that the oil to be blended with perilla oil is not limited to olive oil; other oils, such as almond oil, may also be blended to create a functional food. Furthermore, the blended oil intake / day (g) in Table 2 indicates the amount of blended oil required to ingest 4.0 g of perilla oil / day (equivalent to 2.4 g of α-linolenic acid / day).

[0047]

[0048] <Example 2: Dressing> This example relates to a dressing containing perilla oil, which contains α-linolenic acid, an ω-3 fatty acid. An example of the dressing's blending ratio is shown in Table 3. Note that the dressing blend is not limited to this, and functional foods may be made using dressings of various blends. Furthermore, 20 g of this dressing allows for the intake of 4.0 g of perilla oil per day (equivalent to 2.4 g of α-linolenic acid per day).

[0049]

[0050] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a postpartum mental improvement agent and a functional food containing the same that can be orally taken by perinatal mothers to improve unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period and prevent postpartum depression and the like.

Claims

1. A preventive agent for improving unstable mental states including postpartum depression during the postpartum period by taking it from mid-pregnancy until delivery, the agent being characterized by containing an α-linolenic acid derivative as an active ingredient.

2. A mental health improving agent for the postpartum period according to claim 1, characterized in that the α-linolenic acid derivative is a triglyceride in which at least one molecule of α-linolenic acid is ester-linked.

3. The mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period as described in claim 2, characterized in that the α-linolenic acid derivative is abundantly contained in at least one of the vegetable oils selected from the group consisting of perilla oil, linseed oil, perilla seed oil, chia seed oil, sacha inchi oil, and green nut oil.

4. A mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period as described in claim 3, characterized in that the perilla oil contains 50 to 65% of alpha-linolenic acid based on the total fat.

5. A mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is effective in improving unstable mental states, including postpartum depression, during the postpartum period, when taken orally in a prescribed amount, in principle, daily on an ongoing basis, for at least 12 weeks from the middle of pregnancy.

6. A mental health improvement agent for the postpartum period according to claim 5, characterized in that the prescribed amount to be orally ingested is 2.4 g / day or more calculated as α-linolenic acid.

7. A functional food characterized by containing the mental health improving agent for the postpartum period as described in claim 5, thereby improving unstable mental conditions including postpartum depression during the postpartum period.

8. A functional food characterized by containing a mental health improving agent for the postpartum period as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6, thereby improving unstable mental conditions including postpartum depression during the postpartum period.

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