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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

An Experimental Approach to Investigating Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Free-Ranging Animals: Implementation, Results, and Directions for Future Research

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Published on: February 2, 2022

Infant Formula With Added Alpha-Lactalbumin Improves Nighttime Feeding Patterns With Implications for Sleep Quality.

Diana Orenstein¹, Devon Kuehn¹, Andrea Knezevic²

¹ByHeart, Inc, New York, New York, USA.

Journal of the American Nutrition Association

|May 7, 2026

Summary

Infant formula with alpha-lactalbumin improved sleep quality, increasing time between nighttime feeds by 32 minutes. This formula also boosted tryptophan levels, supporting better infant sleep outcomes.

Keywords:

Infant nutrition alpha-lactalbumin large neutral amino acids tryptophan

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Through-the-Wall Blood Sampling Method to Minimize Sleep Disruption in Clinical Settings

Through-the-Wall Blood Sampling Method to Minimize Sleep Disruption in Clinical Settings

Published on: June 13, 2025

Area of Science:

Pediatric Nutrition
Sleep Science
Amino Acid Metabolism

Background:

Infant sleep is critical for development and health.
Tryptophan influences the sleep-wake cycle, and higher intake can improve sleep.
Alpha-lactalbumin consumption increases the tryptophan to large neutral amino acid (LNAA) ratio, impacting brain tryptophan concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if infant formula supplemented with alpha-lactalbumin enhances sleep quality.
Sleep quality was assessed by evaluating nighttime feeding patterns in healthy infants.

Main Methods:

A randomized controlled trial involving healthy, full-term infants.
Infants received either study formula (SF) with alpha-lactalbumin or control formula (CF) without it.
Feeding patterns were monitored over 24 weeks, with serum amino acids measured at 16 weeks.

Main Results:

Infants in the SF group experienced longer intervals between nighttime feeds (32 minutes longer at 16 weeks, p=0.02).
The SF group also showed a lower number of nighttime feeds (p=0.04).
Higher concentrations of tryptophan and a greater tryptophan:LNAA ratio were observed in the SF group (p=0.019 and p=0.007, respectively).

Conclusions:

Supplementing infant formula with alpha-lactalbumin led to clinically relevant improvements in nighttime sleep duration.
The observed increase in the tryptophan:LNAA ratio supports the hypothesis that alpha-lactalbumin positively influences sleep quality in infants.