Effects of a combination of Poria Cocos, Ziziphus spinose, and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) on sleep quality and skin health: A randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial

Abstract

Sleep is crucial for preserving both physical and mental health, including skin health. Presently, there is a burgeoning interest in the use of herbal and natural ingredients to mitigate the adverse effects of sleep disorders. In this 4‐week, randomized, double‐blind, controlled trial, 70 subjects with sleep disorders were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a Poria cocos, Ziziphus spinose, and GABA (PZG) supplement (10 mL per day). Total sleep duration was detected by wrist actigraphy, and sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Skin conditions were evaluated based on assessments of skin hydration, glossiness elasticity, color, severity of wrinkles, and skin roughness. After 4 weeks, the total sleep duration significantly increased by 12.96% (p = .006) and the PSQI score notably decreased by 59.94% (p = .000) compared to the baseline. Notably, compared to the baseline conditions, skin hydration, radiance, elasticity, firmness, wrinkle severity, and roughness were significantly improved in the PZG group. In addition, the PZG group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the placebo group in terms of changes from baseline in total sleep duration, PSQI score, skin hydration, wrinkle severity, and skin roughness. The present results demonstrated that the combined intake of herbs and GABA can improve sleep quality and enhance skin health without adverse effects.