ユーグレナの継続摂取が、現代人が抱える複合的な健康不安を解決し根本から健康へ導く可能性があることを確認しました
ヒト臨床試験で「ストレスによる諸症状の抑制や睡眠の質の改善」を確認

Euglena Co., Ltd.

　株式会社ユーグレナ（本社：東京都港区、社長：出雲充）は、ヒト臨床試験により、微細藻類ユーグレナ（和名：ミドリムシ）粉末を継続的に摂取することで、作業ストレス負荷がかかっている際の自律神経バランス※1の調整やイライラ感・緊張感の抑制、睡眠の質の改善を示す研究成果を確認しました。
　本研究の結果は、心身の疲労やストレス、睡眠不足などの現代人が抱える複合的な健康不安を解決し、根本から健康へ導くユーグレナのヘルスケアにおける可能性を示しています。
　なお、今回の研究成果は、「第74回日本栄養・食糧学会大会」※2で発表しました。
※1：自律神経は、活動的な働きの交感神経と、リラックスする働きの副交感神経で構成され、内臓の働きや代謝、体温などの機能をコントロールしています。ストレスや疲労によりバランスが崩れると心身に異常をきたします。
※2：第74回日本栄養・食糧学会大会は、新型コロナウイルス感染症の影響で中止となりましたが、大会ホームページ上での大会講演要旨集の掲載をもって発表が成立しています。https://square.umin.ac.jp/jsnfs74/colona2.html

● Summary of research results
By continuous intake of Euglena
(1) It was shown that it may adjust the balance of autonomic nerves under work stress loadand make it easier to maintain physical and mental health.
　 If the autonomic nerves are out of balance, the sympathetic nerves and parasympathetic nerves cannot be switched smoothly, making it difficult to maintain physical and mental health. Euglena powder balances the autonomic nerves and facilitates switching between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.
(2)It was shown to suppress the feeling of frustration and tension under work stress load.
　 When the autonomic nerves are out of balance, it is easy to feel frustration, anxiety, and tension. By adjusting the balance of the autonomic nerves, it becomes difficult to feel various symptoms caused by stress.
③It has been shown to improve sleep quality.
　 Imbalanced autonomic nerves can lead to poor sleep quality, such as poor sleep and light sleep. By balancing the autonomic nerves, it becomes easier to get a satisfying sleep.

● Purpose of research
　​According to a questionnaire survey * 3 conducted by our company, "stress" and "easy to get tired" account for nearly 40% of the top concerns about health of modern people, and in many surveys such as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. However, it was found that "stress" occupies the top position and many modern people are feeling stress.
* 3: Internet survey conducted in July 2019 (men and women aged 20 to 79 years nationwide n = 1,900)
　We keep the body in a constant state by controlling the balance of the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system to protect the body from stress. However, when the autonomic nerves are out of balance due to excessive stress, resistance to stress weakens, and various physical and mental symptoms such as poor sleep quality and decreased motivation occur. These symptoms also lead to weakened immunity, and it is easy to fall into a vicious cycle such as difficulty in keeping the body in a constant state.

In this study, for men and women aged 20 to 64 years or younger who are suffering from decreased motivation and poor sleep quality, Euglena powder 500 mg-containing food intake group, 1,000 mg-containing food intake group, and 3,000 mg-containing food Set an intake group or a placebo food intake group, and before intake, at the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of intake, work stress load * 4 similar to the Uchida Kleperin test, as well as autonomic nerves, psychological aspects, sleep quality, etc. We measured various indicators and Euglena powder on physical and mental symptoms.
* 4: Work stress load caused by performing monotonous work for a long time by performing single-digit addition for 15 minutes in the first half and 30 minutes in the second half with a break of 5 minutes.

● Research content and results
(1) Euglena powder regulates the balance of autonomic nerves in people under work stress load.
　​The autonomic nerve balance (LF / HF value * 5) was measured at three timings: before the work stress load, immediately after the work stress load, and 60 minutes after the work stress load.
　As a result, the LF / HF value increased due to work stress load, and the LF / HF value 4 weeks after ingestion of a person with strong disturbance of autonomic nerve balance was 500 mg of Euglena The above intakes showed low values, especially in the food intake group containing 1,000 mg of Euglena
　These results indicate that Euglena powder significantly regulates autonomic balance in people under work stress.
* 5: Using the ratio of the high frequency component (HF) that reflects the activation of the parasympathetic nerve and the low frequency component (LF) that reflects the activation of the sympathetic nerve in the fluctuation of the heartbeat controlled by the sympathetic nerve and the parasympathetic nerve. To estimate the autonomic balance.

Figure 1: Changes in autonomic nerve balance (LF / HF value) over time

(2)Euglena powder suppresses the feeling of irritation and tension under work stress.
　 Various psychological indicators were measured by VAS (Visual Analog Scale) * 6 at three timings: before work stress load, immediately after work stress load, and 60 minutes after work stress load.
　As a result, the change amount of irritability and tension after work stress after ingestion 12 weeks compared to placebo food ingestion group, Euglena inhibited ingestion above powder 500mg, especially Euglena powder 1,000mg containing food intake group Was significantly suppressed (Fig. 2).
　From the above results, Euglena powder suppresses the feeling of irritation and tension under work stress.
* 6: Used to evaluate the intensity of specific sensations and emotions.

Figure 2: Amount of change in irritability and tension over time

③Euglena powder has been shown to improve sleep quality
　 Satisfaction with sleep was measured by VAS before, 4th, 8th, and 12th week of ingestion of Euglena
　As a result, after 4 weeks of ingestion, the amount of change in sleep satisfaction was significantly improved over time and in a concentration-dependent manner when Euglena (Fig. 3).
　These results indicate that continued intake of Euglena

Figure 3: Amount of change in subjective sleep satisfaction over time

＜ユーグレナについて＞
ユーグレナは、ワカメや昆布、クロレラと同じ藻の一種で、動物と植物の両方の特徴を持っており、ビタミン、ミネラル、アミノ酸、不飽和脂肪酸など59種類の栄養素をバランスよく含んでいます。なお、ユーグレナ特有の成分でβ-グルカンの一種であるパラミロンは、近年機能性についての研究が進み、食品や化粧品などのヘルスケア分野などでの活用が期待されています。当社は、「栄養不足」「心身の疲労」「免疫力低下」の相互関係の事実をとらえ、健康の基盤を妨げる複合的要因に着目しています。健康の基盤を妨げる要因に左右されずに、からだが本来持つ“つくる・はたらく・まもる”のサイクルを保ち、よりよい状態へ高めることで、一時的ではなく、持続的な健康を叶えることが大切と考えています。

● Related past research releases
・ Euglena and the unique component paramylon act on immune cells and nerve cells (March 2020). https://www.euglena.jp/news/20200330/
・ In human clinical trials, it was confirmed that continuous intake of Euglena effectively contributes to the state of the brain (May 2019). https://www.euglena.jp/news/20190528/

● "Euglena Healthcare Lab" https://www.euglab.jp/
This website provides information on the health functions of Euglena

-Contact for inquiries from the press-
Euglena Co., Ltd. Corporate Communication Division