The Role of Walnut Consumption on Sleep Quality

University of Barcelona

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy Diet; Sleep

Treatments: Other: Control; Other: Walnut intake

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04799821

600269

Details and patient eligibility

About

Walnuts have a unique nutritional profile, including the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin, tryptophan, and omega-3 fatty acids, the two latest nutrients involved in melatonin and serotonin synthesis. Although it has been claimed that walnuts may improve sleep, to the investigators' knowledge, no studies have been conducted to objectively determine the impact of walnut consumption on sleep and overall well-being. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of daily walnut consumption on sleep parameters (such as quality and duration). Secondarily, it aims to investigate the impact of daily walnut consumption on body composition, eating behavior, and well-being.

Full description

The study to investigate the effect of daily walnut consumption on sleep quality will be conducted in an 18-week randomized crossover trial, in which participants will be initially assigned to intervention or control conditions for 8-weeks. After 2 weeks of washout, subjects will be crossed over to the alternate intervention and will continue for another 8 weeks. Note that throughout the whole study, each participant will attend 5 visits: 1 initial visit (baseline) and 2 visits in each one of the study conditions (intervention and control).

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• BMI 19-26 kg/m^2
• Habitual moderate exercise level
• No recent history of weight change exceeding 2.3kg (5lb) within the prior 3 months.

Exclusion criteria

• Nuts allergy
• Any acute or chronic diseases
• Smokers
• Any drugs or supplementations
• Any alimentary restrictions or specific diets
• Being a shift or night workers
• Being unable to give written informed consent.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Daily walnut consumption

Treatment:

Other: Walnut intake

Control

Other group

Description:

No walnut consumption

Treatment:

Other: Control