Corn leaf extract supports sleep quality, according to recent study

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A recent study¹ investigated the effects of a standardized Zhea mays (corn) leaf extract (Maizinol from Unigen, based in Tacoma, WA) on sleep quality and overall well-being. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 45 subjects were given either 250 mg/day, 500 mg/day, or placebo before bedtime daily for four weeks. Daily sleep quality was monitored via a fitness tracker, while the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality and efficiency. Researchers also measured salivary cortisol levels for stress, and used the Profile of Mood States (POMS) to assess general well-being.

Subjects taking the extract saw a statistically significant, dose-correlated reduction in salivary cortisol (up to 36%), an increase in deep sleep time (up to 30 minutes), increased total sleep time (up to 10%), an improvement in sleep quality (up to 49%), and an enhanced POMS (36-58%). Compared to placebo, supplementation with the corn leaf extract showed a sevenfold increase in deep sleep time and ten-fold increase in PSQI sleep quality improvement.

Reference

1. Talbott SM et al. “UP165, a standardized corn leaf extract for improving sleep quality and mood state.” Journal of Medicinal Food, Published online ahead of print on September 30, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2021.0197