Effect of Alpha-s1-casein tryptic hydrolysate and L-theanine on sleep quality in academic staff at UTAR, Kampar

Kokila, Thiagarajah (2026) Effect of Alpha-s1-casein tryptic hydrolysate and L-theanine on sleep quality in academic staff at UTAR, Kampar. Master dissertation/thesis, UTAR.

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Abstract

Poor sleep quality is frequently related to poor mental health and is a common medical disorder. This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of poor sleep quality among academic staff at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Kampar Campus and investigate the effects of a supplement containing 150 mg of alpha-s1-casein tryptic hydrolysate and 50 mg of L-theanine in those affected with poor sleep quality. In total, 344 randomly selected academic staff were approached to answer the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The supplement or placebo was randomly and double blindly assigned to 39 subjects with poor sleep quality (global PSQI score >5) in a crossover design for four weeks with a 1-week washout period. The changes in the subjective sleep assessment via PSQI questionnaire, heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol via high-performance liquid chromatography method and alpha power of awake electroencephalogram (EEG) were studied. Unexpectedly, 42.7% of the academic staff were affected by poor sleep quality in the sleep quality screening. The average actual sleep duration was recorded at 6.68 ± 1.24 hours. Age and global PSQI scores were not significantly correlated. Female staff had poorer subjective sleep quality (P = 0.027). The elder age (41 years old and above) group (P = 0.012) and associate professors and professors (P = 0.006) consumed more sleep medications. Non-Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) holders had poorer subjective sleep quality (P = 0.008) and sleep latency (P = 0.032) as well as global PSQI score (P = 0.045) compared to Ph.D. holders. The data obtained via the intervention of the supplement was analysed in two ways, crossover and crossover summed up. The latter depicted that the supplement improved global PSQI score, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep habitual efficiency, daytime dysfunction, and increased total and frontal alpha power significantly (P < 0.05). The supplement prolonged the total sleeping time by 45 min in the supplement-receiving group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.001). However, only sleep duration and sleep habitual efficiency showed profound effects in both analyses (P < 0.05). This study highlights a notably high prevalence of poor sleep quality among academic staff at UTAR Kampar Campus, emphasising the potential impact on their overall health and work performance. The findings demonstrate that a supplement containing alpha-s1-casein tryptic hydrolysate and L-theanine may offer significant improvements in certain aspects of sleep quality, particularly sleep duration and sleep efficiency. These results suggest that targeted nutritional interventions could be a promising strategy to alleviate sleep disturbances in populations with poor sleep quality. Further research with extended washout periods, various dosages and longer follow-up periods is warranted to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of such interventions.

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