Pistachio Consumption for Insomnia

Overseen By Joseariel Romero

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Columbia University

Must not be taking: CYP1A2, SSRIs

Disqualifiers: Premenopausal, Smoking, Chronic disease, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 4 weeks

28 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if eating pistachios can improve sleep quality in individuals with sleep problems. Researchers are testing whether pistachios, which contain compounds that might aid sleep, are more effective than a control food like muffins and cookies. Ideal candidates for the trial are middle-aged adults who have trouble sleeping but do not have chronic diseases, excessive caffeine consumption, or conditions like sleep apnea. Participants should also be willing to stop taking vitamin supplements and avoid time zone travel during the study. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on natural sleep aids.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial requires participants to stop using medications that influence CYP1A2 and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. If you are taking these types of medications, you would need to discontinue them to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that pistachio consumption is likely to be safe for humans?

Research has shown that eating pistachios might help improve sleep. One study found that consuming 57 grams of pistachios as a nighttime snack was easy to digest and did not negatively affect blood sugar or blood pressure. Another study found that pistachios might even help lower blood pressure at night.

Additionally, older adults who eat pistachios seem to feel less anxious, suggesting calming effects. These findings indicate that pistachios are generally safe and may offer benefits for sleep and overall health. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using pistachios to treat insomnia because pistachios are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. Unlike typical insomnia treatments like prescription medications or over-the-counter sleep aids, pistachios offer a dietary approach that might have fewer side effects. Additionally, pistachios are packed with nutrients, including magnesium and vitamin B6, which also support healthy sleep patterns. This makes pistachios a potentially effective and holistic option for those struggling with sleep issues.

What evidence suggests that pistachio consumption might be an effective treatment for insomnia?

Research shows that pistachios are rich in compounds that aid sleep, including phytomelatonin, a natural form of melatonin found in plants. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Some studies have found that certain pistachios contain up to 223 micrograms of phytomelatonin per gram. Although eating pistachios doesn't significantly alter melatonin levels in saliva, their high phytomelatonin content suggests they might improve sleep. Additionally, some observational studies have linked increased nut consumption with better sleep quality. This trial will compare pistachio consumption with a control group receiving muffins and cookies to evaluate their potential impact on sleep improvement. While direct studies on pistachios and sleep improvement are lacking, these findings suggest pistachios could naturally help with sleep issues. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Marie-Pierre St-Onge

Principal Investigator

Columbia University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for middle-aged adults who struggle with poor sleep and are looking for natural ways to improve it. Participants should not be using over-the-counter sleep remedies or have conditions that might interfere with the study.

Inclusion Criteria

BMI 20 - 29.9 kg/m^2

Ability to abstain from travel across time zones

Willingness to eat study foods

Exclusion Criteria

Medical or living conditions that could affect sleep: Smoking, Excessive caffeine intake (>300 mg/day), Non-day shift work, Chronic pain, Diagnosis of a chronic disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Allergy or intolerance to nuts or study foods

I haven't had autoimmune diseases, heart issues, or cancer in the last 2 years.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants consume either pistachios or a calorie-matched control food daily to evaluate the impact on sleep

4 weeks

Daily consumption

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Pistachio

Trial Overview The study aims to see if eating pistachios can help people sleep better compared to a control food, which doesn't contain sleep-promoting compounds. It's a randomized controlled trial, meaning participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Pistachio Active Control 1 Intervention

During the experimental (pistachio) intervention period, participants will be given 2 servings of pistachios (28 g each) to consume once in the morning (within 3 hours of wake time) and once in the evening (3-6 hours before bedtime) every day.

Group II: Control Placebo Group 1 Intervention

During the control food intervention period, participants will be given muffins and cookies (one serving each/day) to be consumed once in the morning (within 3 hours of wake time) and once in the evening (3-6 hours before bedtime) every day.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Columbia University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,529

Recruited

2,832,000+

American Pistachio Growers

Collaborator

Trials

6

Recruited

320+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07218822

NCT07218822 | Impact of Pistachio Consumption on Sleep. Diet is emerging as a potentially important modulator of sleep. Despite observational data linking greater nut intake with better sleep, and that pistachios ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-sleep-initiation-and-maintenance-disorders-9-2025-45e62

Pistachio Consumption for Insomnia Trial Overview The study aims to see if eating pistachios can help people sleep better compared to a control food, which doesn't contain sleep-promoting ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10386454/

Pistacia vera Extract Potentiates the Effect of Melatonin on ... Extract 18 (Ex18) from Pistacia vera dried fruits stood out with very potent effects in melatonin receptor expressing cells.

4. scirp.org scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=146287

The Efficacy of ProsomnialTM Compared to a Synthetic ... Additionally, among other nuts, pistachios exhibited significantly higher levels of phytomelatonin, with some varieties containing up to 223 µg/g [21]. These ...

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/396664277_Can_Pistachio_Nuts_Replace_Melatonin_Tablets

(PDF) Can Pistachio Nuts Replace Melatonin Tablets? The concentration of melatonin in saliva after eating 25 g of pistachio was not significantly different from the baseline concentration.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11347794/

Intake of Pistachios as a Nighttime Snack Has Similar Effects ... Consuming 57 g/d of pistachios as a nighttime snack increased diet quality but had similar effects on glycemic markers, lipids/lipoproteins, blood pressure, ...

7. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/jaha.114.000873

Pistachio Nut Consumption Modifies Systemic ... We observed reductions of both 24‐hour and sleep systolic blood pressure following the pistachio diet. Blood pressure normally decreases (or “ ...

8. finance.yahoo.com finance.yahoo.com/news/adult-pistachio-eaters-report-48-131600669.html

Adult Pistachio Eaters Report 48% Lower Risk of Minor ... Pistachio consumers aged 60+ years had a 16% lower frequency of anxiety than non-consumers. Younger adults (ages 20–59) who ate pistachios ...