Kaempferol may boost physical activity, sleep quality: Study
Data published in Frontiers in Nutrition indicated that two weeks of daily supplementation with 10 mg of kaempferol was associated with reductions in sleeping and resting heart rate, linked to improved physical activity and better sleep.
“KMP [kaempferol] could potentially be used as a food ingredient that can help maintain the quality of life for people living in the era of a 100-year lifespan, considering that it can be ingested daily,” wrote researchers from Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Saga Nutraceuticals Research Institute in Japan.
The benefits of physical activities
Moderate exercise is vital to maintain overall good health and prevent diseases, with data showing that a mere increase of 1,500 steps per day could reduce mortality risk by 2.2%. Physical activity mitigates chronic health conditions through weight loss, reducing inflammation and promoting mental well-being.
Linked to this, mitochondrial function declines with aging. Physical activity is also correlated with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), a determinant of aerobic capacity. A decrease in VO2max leads to reduced daytime activity and poor sleep quality. Another important factor that promotes good health is sleep.
While nutritional approaches to boost sleep like melatonin are well known, another approach may be to increase daytime physical activity because it enhances heart rate through accumulating fatigue and raising VO2max that ultimately improve sleep quality.
Study details
The Japan-based scientists recruited 34 untrained city workers to participate in their placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study. Participants were randomly assigned to a kaempferol group or placebo for two weeks. This was followed by a seven-day washout period before cross over to the other group for a further two weeks.
All participants wore a Fitbit Charge 4 tracker on their non-dominant hand for almost 24 hours a day. The Fitbit provided data on physical activity levels, heart rate and sleep.
The results indicated that kaempferol supplementation improved physical activity and sleep quality, compared to placebo. These improvements were attributed to a reduced heart rate (HR) at each physical activity level. Specifically, kaempferol decreased heart rate during light, moderate, and vigorous activities by 4 bpm, 3 bpm and 2 bpm, respectively. Relative to the placebo, kaempferol intake also reduced physical load index and HR (sleep and rest) by 6 bpm.
In addition, kaempferol significantly increased physical activity, as determined by an increased step count of 624 steps/day and moving distance of 0.4 km/day. No change in walking speed was observed in the placebo group. Participants belonging to the kaempferol group also exhibited a significant increase in weekend activities and recreation.
“[Kaempferol], a single ingredient, has multiple health benefits through multiple mechanisms, which is intriguing and strongly indicates its usefulness," the researchers concluded. "Our results suggest that [kaempferol], by mediating effects on such as oxygen supply and energy production and improving overall quality of life rather than treating specific diseases, has the potential to offer broad value to individuals and society."
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition
Volume 11 – 2024, doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1386389
“Effect of kaempferol ingestion on physical activity and sleep quality: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover trial”
Authors: Yasutaka Ikeda et al.
