The domestic health functional food company Unibio's lettuce extract has been recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for its functionality in aiding sleep health.

A representative from Unibio stated, “Most sleep-related health functional foods released domestically have relied on imported ingredients,” emphasizing that this proves the competitiveness and market entry potential of domestic ingredients.

Lettuce contains components that stabilize the nervous system and induce restful sleep. Unibio conducted a four-week human clinical trial with 100 adults aged 30 to 65 (91 participants completed the trial). The results showed improvements in sleep disorders, with increased total sleep time and enhanced sleep efficiency after consuming the lettuce extract. Both subjective surveys and objective polysomnography demonstrated significant improvement, indicating a different mechanism of action compared to existing GABA-based components. GABA is a major neurotransmitter that inhibits neural excitation and calms the nervous system.

A Unibio representative remarked, “This achievement is significant in strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic sleep health functional food industry and enhancing the potential for K-ingredients to enter overseas markets,” adding that it is expected to become a new option in the domestic and international sleep health functional food markets.

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