Safety and Efficacy of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid from Fermented Rice Germ in Patients with Insomnia Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial.
10.3988/jcn.2018.14.3.291
- Author:
Jung Ick BYUN
1
;
Yu Yong SHIN
;
Sung Eun CHUNG
;
Won Chul SHIN
Author Information
1. Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea. shin1chul@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Randomized Controlled Trial ; Original Article
- Keywords:
gamma-aminobutyric acid;
fermented rice germ extract;
insomnia;
treatment
- MeSH:
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid*;
Humans;
Polysomnography;
Prospective Studies;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*
- From:Journal of Clinical Neurology
2018;14(3):291-295
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the subjective and objective improvements in sleep quality after treatment with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA; 300 mg daily) extracted from unpolished rice germ. METHODS: This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. In total, 40 patients who complained of insomnia symptoms were enrolled and randomly assigned to the GABA treatment group (n=30) or the placebo group (n=10). Polysomnography was performed, and sleep questionnaires were administered before treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of treatment the sleep latency had decreased [13.4±15.7 min at pretreatment vs. 5.7±6.2 min at posttreatment (mean±SD), p=0.001] and the sleep efficacy had increased (79.4±12.9% vs. 86.1±10.5%, p=0.018) only in the GABA treatment group. Adverse events occurred in four subjects (10%). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that treatment with unpolished-rice-germ-derived GABA improved not only the subjective sleep quality but also the objective sleep efficacy without severe adverse events.
