Effects of L-serine intake on circadian photoentrainment

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K21225
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied anthropology; Applied health science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2017); Kyushu University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: LEE SANGIL 北海道大学, 工学研究院, 助教 (70738880)
• Research Collaborator: HIGUCHI Shigekazu ; OHASHI Michihiro
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 概日リズム / ヒト / 社会的時差ボケ / 栄養 / メラトニン / フィールド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to determine whether L-serine intake can promote circadian photoentrainment in real life. Thirty-five healthy university students (18 males and 17 females, 21.5 ± 2.2 yrs) participated in a four-week field study. During the experiment, we did not control participants’ sleep habits and social schedules. The participants were randomly divided into two groups (L-serine and placebo groups, double-blinded). In the L-serine group, a trend of phase advance was found after intake for 10 days, but it was not significantly greater than that of the placebo group. However, the L-serine group showed a relative circadian advance to sleep phase, whereas the placebo groups did not. In the data obtained from winter experiment, we found a greater circadian advance in the L-serine group compared with that in the placebo group.

Free Research Field

生理人類学、時間生物学、環境人間工学