FORGET COUNTING sheep: drinking the night-time milk of cows may hold the key to helping insomniacs fall asleep.
A German firm has patented “nocturnal milk”, which it claims contains levels of the sleep hormone melatonin that are 25 times higher than found in normal milk.
Scientific studies have shown that milk taken from cows at night contains much higher levels of melatonin than daytime milk. Melatonin helps to regulate the biorhythm of all mammals: at night it enters the bloodstream and, in the case of cows, their milk; when it becomes light, melatonin production stops.
Munich’s Milchkristalle GmbH has started milking its animals between 2am and 4am. It claims to have found the answer to improving the sleep of the one in three people who suffer from some degree of insomnia.
“Conditions for the cows have to be just right – light in the day and very low light conditions at night,” said a company manager, Tony Gnann. Attempts to extract milk from confused cows result in extremely low levels of melatonin, he said. Best results were obtained by bathing the cows in warm, soft-hued lights that calm them.
The animals are fed large amounts of clover, containing high levels of protein and the amino acid tryptophan – the key ingredient in creating melatonin.
Milchkristalle has produced a powder from the milk which can be added to drinks before bedtime.
Sceptics of the product, due to go on sale in chemist shops, have questioned the company’s claims. Independent website Gute Pillen-Schlechte Pillen, which investigates pharmaceutical claims, said the powder would have to be drunk in huge quantities to have a real effect. Consumer watchdog Esowatch said the powder contained less melatonin than many melatonin pills sold to promote sleep. – (Guardian service)