Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effects of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) fermented with Lactobacillus brevis on sleep behavior and GABAergic mechanisms in rodent models. Fermentation converted the glutamate in WPH to high (3.15 ± 0.21 mg/mL) levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Fermented WPH (WP-SF) enhanced sleep duration in mice by increasing GABA content in the brain. The increase in sleep duration induced by WP-SF resulted from an increase in delta wave activity during non-rapid eye movement sleep, and its sleep-promoting effect in a caffeine-induced insomnia model was characterized by an increase in delta waves. WP-SF increased GABAergic receptors at both mRNA and protein levels. Cotreatment with GABA(A) receptor antagonists abolished the sleep-promoting effects of WP-SF, indicating that WP-SF shares binding sites with antagonists on GABA(A) receptors. Collectively, WP-SF effectively increased sleep duration by enhancing delta wave activity through GABAergic activation; thus, it is suggested as a functional food-grade ingredient for promoting sleep.