Journal of Depression and Anxiety
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-1044
ISSN: 2167-1044
Hsin-Chien Lee, Yung-Kai Lin, Yung-Hsiang Lin, Shu-Ting Chan and Chi-Fu Chiang*
Banana peel, a common agricultural by-product, was found to be rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and amine compounds with potential neuroregulatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of banana peel extract (Happy Banana®) on sleep-related metabolic and physiological mechanisms. Initially, the active compound Hydroxyanigorufone was identified and shown to significantly upregulate the expression of key enzymes in the tryptophan metabolic pathway in vitro. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was subsequently conducted over four weeks, enrolling 50 subjects with self-reported sleep disturbances. The banana peel extract showed potential benefits in improving sleep quality, although it did not demonstrate a significant additional advantage over placebo. However, the results demonstrated that subjects in the banana peel group exhibited a significant reduction in the Low-Frequency/High-Frequency (LF/HF) ratio of heart rate variability by weeks 2 and 4, indicating improved autonomic balance. Serum serotonin and salivary melatonin levels increased significantly by 13.9% and 43.3%, respectively, and the night-to-day melatonin concentration differential increased by 209%, suggesting enhanced circadian rhythm alignment. Subjective assessments revealed a 13.9% reduction in daytime drowsiness and a 19.0% decrease in nocturnal urination frequency. No abnormalities were observed in routine hematological or biochemical parameters, supporting the extract's favorable safety and tolerability profile. These findings supported its potential use as a natural sleep aid and highlighted the value of upcycling agricultural waste into functional health products.
Published Date: 2025-09-08; Received Date: 2025-08-08