Zea mays, more commonly referred to as maize or corn, is used for human consumption as corn meal, cooking oil, thickener in sauces and puddings, and sweetener in processed foods and beverage products. A new study suggests that Zea mays corn leaf extract may provide sleep quality benefits.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical experiment, the effects of 250 and 500 mg/day of UP165, a standardized Zea mays (corn) leaf extract, on sleep quality and well-being were assessed. Forty-five people, ranging in age from 19 to 73, took the supplement or a placebo for four weeks. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the salivary cortisol levels were measured for stress, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate overall well-being in addition to daily sleep quality as measured by a fitness tracker. There was a statistically significant and dose-related decrease in salivary cortisol (up to 36%), an increase in deep sleep (up to 30 minutes), an increase in total sleep time (up to 10%), an improvement in sleep quality (up to 49%), and an improvement in POMS (36-58%). When comparing the UP165 group to the placebo group, participants in the UP165 group had a sevenfold increase in deep sleep duration and a tenfold rise in PSQI sleep quality improvement.
Overall, UP165 is a healthy dietary supplement that has been shown to provide 24-hour assistance, from enhanced sleep quality and efficiency at night to elevated mood and general well-being in the morning.