#103 Can Supplements Counteract the Effects of Poor Sleep?

Imagine you have young children, and they're home from school due to illness for a few days this week. Meanwhile, you're working shifts and struggling to get the rest and sleep you desperately need.

We've all experienced sleep deprivation at some point. It feels like your head is in a fog, you're a bit nauseous, and your creativity is waning. However, one thing that seems to sharpen is your attention to others' behavior. You become easily irritated, and your temper is quicker to rise. The body reacts swiftly — if you sleep less than 6 hours for several nights in a row, your risk of catching a cold increases significantly, up to fourfold. Plus, if you're near someone with a sniffle, your chances of getting that cold are pretty high.

Conclusion: Higher protein intake and the micronutrients the study group received can be beneficial for the body. Yet, it's hard to ignore the vital role of good sleep. Many things occur while we sleep, and even though we might manage to perform after a poor night's sleep now and then, sleep is a crucial component to nurture.

In previous sections, we've discussed how poor sleep impacts you before your performances here on Perform Better.

In a recently published study (Impact of Sleep Restriction on Local Immune Response and Skin Barrier Restoration with and Without ‘Multi-nutrient’ Nutrition Intervention), researchers sought to determine if it's possible to alleviate the negative effects of sleep deprivation. Many professions experience compromised sleep for various reasons—the military and healthcare are prime examples, but even parents and entrepreneurs might lose out on precious sleep hours.

The study involved 56 participants, divided into three groups. One group served as a simple control group, while the other two test groups faced more challenges: these two groups were allowed only 2 hours of sleep per night over a 72-hour period (3 days). Participants in one of these groups were given an “optidrink” to consume twice daily during these three days and then for five additional days with normal sleep. The drink contained the following ingredients and doses:

• Arginine: 20 g
• Glutamine: 30 g
• Omega 3: 1 g
• Zinc: 24 mg
• Vitamin D3: 800 IU

The group receiving the optidrink was also targeted to consume 1.5 g of protein per kg of body weight. The other test group received a placebo drink and was advised to consume 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. Additionally, all participants underwent a procedure where blisters were induced on their forearms to evaluate the healing process under stress.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear so—at least not convincingly. The group that received the drink showed slightly higher concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines early in the blisters' healing process. However, the researchers couldn't link this to faster healing compared to the group that didn't receive the drink. The group with the best healing was simply the placebo group that slept normally during the intervention.

Side note: In a study from 2013 that Tommy wrote an essay on during his master's studies, researchers showed that as little as 4 hours of sleep one night—because you get up early—decreases your performance. However, only in the afternoon and not in the morning. This means the effects of an early wake-up to fit in morning intervals aren't noticeable until the afternoon.

Therefore, during the competition season, when we've discussed the benefits of doing intervals early to maintain oxygen uptake, it's no problem to wake up extra early and sacrifice a few hours of sleep. Just remember that you won't get any quality out of the afternoon's workout that day. Also, make sure to get a good night's sleep afterward—reality will soon catch up with you.