Known as Yiyang Wanning (怡养晚宁), the milk powder contains five key nutrients, including tryptophan sourced from whey protein concentrate, mulberry leaf extract, magnesium, zinc, and is rich in protein. It is targeted at consumers aged 40 to 60.
Said to be a clinically studied proprietary blend, top-line data has shown that supplementation of the product has significantly reduced the time to fall asleep by about 15 per cent in the intervention group as compared to the control group. These findings were based on both measured and self-reported data.
A total of 43 adults were enrolled in the study which took place in Singapore. The intervention phases lasted for 14 days.
During the RCT, the intervention group took the powder blend drink containing 0.75g mulberry leaf extract and 120mg of tryptophan with dinner about four hours before bed.
Sleep and mood self-report measures showed that the intervention group felt significantly less sleepy and more aroused the next morning.
The findings showed that sleep onset, quality and next day cognitive performance can be ameliorated by a daily dinner time supplemental nutritional intervention, said the researchers from Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the National University of Singapore Sleep Center.
However, the trial did not show a significant effect on sleep efficiency – which was one of the primary study outcomes alongside sleep onset latency, or the time to fall asleep.
Still, the researchers added that the supplementation “may represent a convenient strategy to support the betterment of sleep and mood and cognitive benefits in adult populations.”
Clinical findings of the blend were first unveiled in the 14th Asian Congress of Nutrition held last September and the final findings are expected to be published soon.
Dr Kai Yu, China Hub Manager from Nestle Institute of Health Sciences, will be presenting at our Growth Asia Summit 2024 taking place on July 16 to 18. He will be speaking about Healthier Product Innovation, don’t miss out – register to attend now!
The formulation
Yiyang Wanning is formulated with a blend that uses tryptophan, vitamin B, magnesium, zinc and nutrients that naturally facilitate the body's melatonin secretion.
Mulberry leaf extract, on the other hand, could reduce post-meal blood sugar increase and glycaemic variation during the night, in turn, improving sleep quality.
"Matching the deep scientific understanding in metabolic and brain health of Nestlé Research with our expertise in product development allows us to take a pioneering approach to improve sleep quality through nutrition,” said Isabelle Bureau-Franz, head of R&D for the Nutrition category.
“By leveraging digital technology and wearable devices, we were able to successfully measure and evaluate participants' glucose levels and sleep quality in the comfort of their own homes.
“This innovative approach enabled us to gather reliable data on the effectiveness of our nutritional solution in improving sleep quality and mood on the next day," added Eline van der Beek, Head of Nestlé's Institute of Health Sciences.
Aside from China, the blend was also piloted for a limited time in Europe and South East Asia via a fruit shot format under the Nestle Goodnes brand.
Sleep and Healthy China 2030
Improving sleep quality and increasing sleep duration are some of the key priorities for Healthy China 2030, Nestle China highlighted.
The prevalence of insomnia among Chinese adults is 38.2 per cent, the company said, citing data from a 2022 and 2023 report that studied sleep quality among China’s population.
Aside from insomnia, other sleep disorders include light sleeping, feeling of fatigue or grogginess after waking up, and feeling tired in the day.
Long-term sleep disorders could reduce mental alertness and memory, causing one to feel easily irritated, as well as lowering the body’s immunity and increasing the risk of developing chronic diseases.