After two weeks of taking this supplement, stressed adults sleep about half an hour longer each night, but they don’t report feeling like their sleep is better quality.
Claim Context
In adults with self-reported high stress, chronic supplementation with a supplement containing 400 mg Scutellaria baicalensis, 40 mg Crataegus laevigata, 56.3 mg magnesium, and 20 µg chromium increases total sleep time by approximately 27 minutes per night after 15 days, but does not improve subjective sleep quality.
“A significant Treatment × Day interaction was observed for total sleep time (F (1, 91.68) = 4.52, p = 0.036), with participants reporting significantly increased total sleep time following a chronic dose of the herbal supplement (452.16 minutes) as compared to placebo (425.18 minutes), on day 15 (p = 0.037). A significant main effect of treatment for overall sleep quality was also observed (F (1, 37.96) = 5.26, p = 0.027). Participants reported significantly better sleep quality following placebo (5.19) as compared to the herbal supplement (6.00), overall and irrespective of interim or chronic dose.”
Evidence from Studies
No evidence studies found yet.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Whether this specific supplement consistently increases total sleep time without improving subjective sleep quality in stressed populations across multiple trials.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of all RCTs using this exact supplement (400 mg S. baicalensis, 40 mg C. laevigata, 56.3 mg magnesium, 20 µg chromium) in adults with PSS ≥13, measuring total sleep time via actigraphy and subjective sleep quality via validated scales (e.g., PSQI) over 14–28 days.
That this supplement causes increased total sleep time without improving subjective sleep quality in stressed adults compared to placebo.
A double-blind RCT with 120 adults aged 25–65 with PSS ≥13, randomized to supplement or placebo for 28 days, measuring total sleep time via wrist actigraphy and subjective sleep quality via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index daily, with primary endpoints at day 14 and 28.
Whether long-term use of this supplement is associated with sustained increases in sleep duration without changes in perceived quality in real-world settings.
A prospective cohort study following 400 stressed adults for 12 months, tracking daily supplement use, sleep duration via actigraphy, and sleep quality via weekly questionnaires, adjusting for shift work, screen time, and medication use.
Whether individuals with persistent poor sleep quality despite long sleep duration are less likely to have used this supplement.
A case-control study comparing 100 adults with long sleep (>7.5h) but poor sleep quality (PSQI >5) to 100 controls with long sleep and good quality, assessing past 6-month use of this supplement, controlling for depression and sleep apnea risk.
Whether current users of this supplement report longer sleep duration but similar or worse sleep quality compared to non-users at a single time point.
A cross-sectional survey of 800 adults with self-reported stress, asking about current supplement use, measuring sleep duration via actigraphy and sleep quality via PSQI in a single visit, adjusting for age, BMI, and caffeine intake.