Robuvit supplementation linked to improved sleep quality and mood
The study, conducted by researchers at the Chieti-Pescara University in Italy, observed 40 individuals recruited from a selection of patients with high oxidative stress as assessed using the d-ROMs test (measuring reactive oxygen metabolites).
They found that participants who ingested a supplement containing a French oak wood extract reported significant mood improvement at the end of the study period compared to those who did not. Additionally, their oxidative stress levels as measured by the d-ROMs test decreased significantly.
The French oak wood extract used in the study was a standardized version commercialized under brand name Robuvit, manufactured and distributed by Horphag Research. Leading the study was Dr. Gianni Belcaro, whose lab at the Chieti-Pescara University has extensively studied ingredients by Horphag, namely Robuvit and a French maritime pine bark extract called Pycnogenol.
This latest report was published in the journal Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences published by Minerva Medica.
“The observed decrease in [oxidative stress] levels in our patients is probably the result of the antioxidative activity of Robuvit, and, more precisely, of its active metabolites, the urolithins and ellagic acid,” the authors wrote in their study.
Study details
Researchers recruited 40 middle-aged participants to the study, both males and females. Participants were recruited from a selection of patients that have complained about fatigue, insomnia, and mood alterations.
All participants followed a standardized management plan involving exercise, diet plan, avoidance of sugar and salt, and increased sun exposure. On top of that, participants were allowed to choose whether they would like to be part of the intervention group and consume three capsules of 100 mg Robuvit per day for eight weeks, or join the control group without any supplementation.
Twenty-two participants joined the control group and 18 joined the supplement group.
Researchers evaluated the participants’ symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, mood fluctuations, and oxidative stress using a combination of standard scoring scales used in the field, such as the Regensburg Insomnia Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Brief Mood Introspection Scale.
Participants supplemented with 300mg of Robuvit daily for a period of eight weeks reported improvement in all four test categories – mood, oxidative stress, fatigue and insomnia. Meanwhile, no significant changes were observed for these metrics in the control group.
A study out of the same lab published earlier this year linked Robuvit supplementation to reduced fatigue from burnout.
Source: Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.23736/S0390-5616.18.04384-9.
“Improvement in mood, oxidative stress, fatigue, and insomnia following supplementary management with Robuvit”
Authors: Gianni Belcaro, et al.
