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Updated October 17th, 2021 at 13:52 IST

Scientists reveal why drinking warm milk can make one sleepy in new study

Researchers have now uncovered particular peptides in Casein Tryptic Hydrolysate (CTH) that might one day be incorporated as natural sleep treatment

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Scientists
Image: Unsplash | Image:self
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In the latest study, researchers have discovered the reason why a glass of warm milk might make people drowsy. Although tryptophan (which is an amino acid) is widely credited with milk's sleep-inducing qualities, yet, researchers have also identified a combination of milk peptides known as Casein Tryptic Hydrolysate (CTH) that reduces stress and improves sleep. The study has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. 

Researchers have uncovered particular peptides in CTH that might one day be incorporated as an alternative, natural sleep treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States revealed that one-third of American people do not get much sleep. The frequently recommended sedatives for insomnia are benzodiazepines and zolpidem but these have negative side effects and lead to addiction. The GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) receptor which is basically a protein in the brain, is activated by several sedatives that slow down neuronal signaling. 

Findings of the research

Scientists have found that a number of natural peptides, which are tiny bits of protein, attach to the GABA receptor and produce anti-anxiety and sleep-inducing properties. They explained that combining casein, a protein found in cow's milk, with the digestive enzyme trypsin generates a combination of sleep-inducing peptides, CTH. A particular peptide termed a-casozepine (a-CZP) was discovered in this combination which might be accountable for some of these effects.  

Moreover, Lin Zheng, Mouming Zhao, and their colleagues wanted to see whether they would identify any more sleep-enhancing peptides in CTH. For the sleep test, the researchers had initially evaluated the effects of CTH and a-CZP in a mouse, discovering that CTH had greater sleep-enhancing characteristics than a-CZP independently. This data showed that CTH contains other sleep-promoting peptides besides a-CZP. 

The researchers next utilised mass spectrometry to detect bioactive peptides which are produced from CTH throughout simulated stomach digestion, then they virtual-screened these peptides for binding to the GABA receptor and for blood-brain barrier crossing. 

Further, when the strongest possibilities were examined in mice, the best one, named YPVEPF (peptides) increased the number of mice to fall asleep rapidly by around 25% and the duration of sleep by over 400% in comparison to the control group. Other CTH peptides, in addition to this promising one, should be investigated to see whether they can improve sleep through other mechanisms, according to the researchers. 

The National Natural Science Foundation of China along with the Guangdong Provincial Key R and D Program, the Shandong Provincial Key R and D Program, as well as the Guangdong Province Specific Fund Program for Basic and Applied Basic Research all provided support to the authors. 

(Image: Unsplash)

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Published October 17th, 2021 at 13:52 IST

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