Tryptophan intake associated with sleep quality in adolescents from a public educational institution in Lima

Bustamante Álvarez S.I.; Palomino Quispe L.P.; Huamán Gutiérrez O.G. · Nutricion Clinica y Dietetica Hospitalaria (2024) · DOI: 10.12873/444bustamante

Resumen

Introduction: Tryptophan, which is the precursor of serotonin, affects the availability of this hormone and improves sleep quality. Objective: To evaluate the association between the intake of foods that are sources of tryptophan and sleep quality in adolescents from a public educational institution in Lima, Peru. Materials and methods: Non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational-causal research conducted on 100 students aged 12 to 17 years, enrolled in the public secondary school “Tungasuca” located in Lima. A semi-quantitative frequency questionnaire was applied to explore tryptophan intake; sleep quality was analyzed through the self-application of the Pittsburgh Sleep Index (PSQI) validated in Spain and Peru. In order to explore the relationship of the variables, the non-parametric Spearman correlation coefficient test was used. Results: 70% of the evaluated individuals presented better sleep hygiene, categorized on a scale of 1 to 4, and 30% had serious sleep problems, categorized on a scale of 5 to 7. The median intake of tryptophan in men was 510 mg/day and in women it was 480 mg/day. Likewise, the food group that is a source of tryptophan and that was most consumed were: dairy products and derivatives, meats, and oilseeds. When analyzing the relationship between tryptophan intake and sleep quality, an inverse and significant relationship was obtained (p<0.05). Conclusions: The intake of foods that are a source of tryptophan has an inverse and significant relationship with sleep quality. That is, students who consume a greater amount of foods with tryptophan have a lower score on the risk scale for poor sleep quality.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos