A dominant protein in human milk, alpha-lactalbumin, is high in essential amino acids and especially rich in amino acids tryptophan and cysteine.
Tryptophan is used by the human body to produce melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, while serotonin is thought to play a role in sleep quality, thereby, tryptophan supplementation can help improve sleep quality1.
Cysteine is a precursor of glutathione (GSH), an antioxidant believed to minimize oxidative stress in the human body2.
Product range
- Our ingredient, Lacprodan® ALPHA-10, is a whey protein fraction with minimum 41% alpha-lactalbumin and a high content of tryptophan, cysteine. It has 88% protein concentrate approx. dry matter and is suitable for a variety of medical nutrition applications such as UHT drinks, bars and powders.
References:
- Sutanto, Clarinda N et al. The impact of tryptophan supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Nutrition reviews vol. 80,2 (2022): p. 306-316.
- Wu, G., Fang, Y. Z., Yang, S., Lupton, J. R., & Turner, N. D. (2004). Glutathione metabolism and its implications for health. The Journal of nutrition, 134, p. 489–492.
