When it comes to functional foods, it's easy to get the word "fancy" into your head, and sleep AIDS are no exception. In the context of the rapid rise of the "night economy", should food companies focus on consumers' high points and boost their enjoyment, or turn to people with health problems and whether they sleep well or not? Icing on the cake is easier than offering charcoal in time of need. What's more, the problem to be solved is related to a third of everyone's life
Sleep problem, already belong to not only middle and old age group. Take a look at the data first.
According to the white paper on national health 2019 jointly released by dingxiang doctor and mobile health research institute, a health news, 96% of respondents said they had health-related problems, with sleep problems ranking third. In terms of age, sleep problems rank first among the health problems of those born in the 1970s and 1980s, second among those born in the 1970s, and fourth among those born in the 1990s.
According to the 2019 white paper on national health, the public scored 9.5 on the importance of sleep, while only 6.7 on satisfaction. According to the survey, young people suffer more serious sleep problems than the elderly, with 84 percent of those born in the 1990s having sleep problems, compared with 76 percent before the 1970s.
73% of respondents will take various measures to solve sleep problems, in addition to regulating sleep time, 27% choose to change bedclothes, 17% through adjusting diet, choose to take sleep care products, sleep aid drugs accounted for 4% and 3% respectively. For health-related products, 76 percent of the public said efficacy came first, followed by price. [1]
In this year, wangwang, mengniu, junlebao, yangleduo have entered the bureau sleep market, launched sleep function drink.
In the imported product section, where does the "efficacy" that consumers first focus on come from? We first from help sleeping function composition and foreign help sleeping product case, rationalize train of thought.
3 categories of sleep aid function raw materials, how effective?
1. Is melatonin really a sleep aid?
Melatonin is an amine hormone naturally secreted by human body, which has obvious circadian rhythm. In China, melatonin is allowed to be used as a health food ingredient. The health function is limited to improving sleep, and the recommended daily dose is 0.1-0.3mg.
According to the young people insight report on the new normal of cross-border consumption in 2018 released by CBNData and Tmall international, from December 2017 to November 2018, melatonin soft candy became the favorite soft candy health product of Tmall international 90/95 generation.
But in most sleep AIDS, melatonin levels can be as high as 3mg or even 9mg, well above the physiological requirements, which can lead to dizziness when users wake up the next day. Excessive use of melatonin, will also increase the liver and kidney burden.
It should be noted that melatonin only plays an auxiliary role in sleep disorders with circadian clock disorders and melatonin sensitivity, and it has a relatively ideal hypnotic effect within the national daily recommended dose. Long-term use of exogenous melatonin may lead to decreased secretion. So melatonin alone is not a long-term solution.
As awareness of the limitations and side effects of melatonin has grown, food companies have shifted their focus from melatonin alone to amino acids with similar benefits.
2. GABA, l-theanine... Amino acids are emerging
A study published in the journal Neuropharmacology offers insights into how sleep and wakefulness are activated and suppressed from a neuronal and electrophysiological perspective. The chemicals involved in the regulation of sleep, including 5-htp, GABA, and acetylcholine, may be important considerations in the formulation of functional sleep foods, including dietary supplements. Meanwhile, l-theanine has been shown to increase dopamine, serotonin and the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine in the brain.
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-htp), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and l-theanine, which can be extracted from natural plants, have emerged in the functional food for sleep.
Dream Water, a gluten-free sleep supplement in the United States, claims to be independent, natural, 0 calories, with a small capacity of 74ml. Each bottle contains 135mg of GABA, 5mg of melatonin and 10mg of 5-htp. It is recommended to drink it 30 minutes before bedtime.
Water Sleep Shot，4瓶装
5-htp is an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin (5-ht), a sleep-regulating neurotransmitter.
GABA, namely gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a natural non-protein amino acid, is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, promoting blood circulation and oxygen supply of the brain, can relieve the state of tension in the brain, promote the synthesis of growth hormone and good sleep.
L-theanine is a special free amino acid in tea. Japanese functional sleep aid, prefer to add this ingredient.
In 2016, Coca-Cola Japan launched Glaceau Sleep Water, a 410ml bottle containing 200mg l-theanine, to relax before bed and relieve fatigue and sleepiness after waking up.
Som Sleep Drink, a 240ml metal-canned energy Drink launched in January, contains 357mg of a patented blend of GABA, l-theanine and melatonin, 40mg of magnesium and 2mg of vitamin B6, which relaxes the body and mind and helps maintain a natural Sleep pattern by supplementing with targeted nutrients.
3, medicine food homologous herbs, mild sleep inducer
Certain herbs contain abundant small molecules involved in the synthesis, secretion and metabolism of neurotransmitters, which are also used in sleep aid foods. Chamomile, for example, is widely considered a natural sedative and sleep inducer because it contains flavonoids that bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain.
At the same time, herbal natural, gentle temperament, more easily accepted by consumers.
American herbal tea brand Traditional Medicinals introduced Nighty Night®, the use of organic passion flower, chamomile, basswood flower, nepeta, hops and other herbal raw materials, assisted by spearmint, lemon verbena, lemon peel, west India lemongrass, is a calm and soothing, sleep aid organic tea.
With another brand called Nighty Night® Extra organic herbal tea, the use of more powerful valerian root, passion flower, sweet bee leaves, mint and other raw materials, to further release the efficacy of herbal sleep.
Good Night Drink 'n' Dream, a sleep aid made in Austria by slovak company Good Night Drink, USES mountain sparkling water and natural herbal extracts, such as Melissa officinalis and Humulus lupulus, to relieve stress and promote sleep. The website says the product contains no preservatives, artificial colors and sweeteners, no side effects, slightly carbonated taste, slightly sweet, similar to the taste of cactus fruit. Each 250ml can should be taken 30-45 minutes before bedtime.
To sum up, the ingredients and ingredients that have the effect of sleep have basically surfaced, and the collocation and permutation of these elements of foreign sleep products are relatively clear. How does Chinese food enterprise take its essence, roll out the food that helps sleeping that suits people more? What about the market for sleep aid in China?
Help sleep 3.0 times, wangwang, mengniu and junlebao and other enterprises have entered the bureau
Entrance sleeping products, from sleeping pills for pathological sleep difficulties 1.0, to the hormone melatonin supplements 2.0, to give priority to with pure natural plant extract, does not contain the ingredient sleeping drinks, to say goodbye to the dependence, reduce side effects, using pure natural raw material in the direction of the efforts, sleeping 3.0 era has arrived.
Chinese food enterprises, such as wangwang, mengniu, junlebao, in this year has launched sleep function drinks, into the bureau sleep function food market.
1. Policy goes first. GABA and theanine have been added to China's new resource food
As age grows and body function ages, the generation of GAbasecretes quantity to be able to reduce gradually, appear thereby morpheus is not beautiful, easy anxiety, blood pressure is unsteady, memory obstacle wait for a problem. Studies have shown that GABA, which is lacking in humans, is difficult to synthesize on its own and can only be replenished with food and nutrients that contain it. [4]
In 2009 and 2014, China's national health and family planning commission approved gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and tea theanine as new resources for food processing. At the same time, the intake of GABA should be less than 500mg/ day, and the use of tea theanine should be less than 400mg/ day.
GABA, l-theanine in food applications, has been justified. The definition of daily consumption also provides a basis and standard for food enterprises to develop products and consumers to weigh intake.
2. With a market of 100 billion yuan of sleep aid in China, food therapy sleep products began to heat up
According to the research report on the market analysis and investment prospect of Chinese sleep medicine from 2018 to 2023 released by Bosch, the market scale of China's sleep improvement industry is about 279.7 billion yuan in 2017, with sleep devices accounting for 89.3% of the market, sleep drugs, sleep health products and sleep services accounting for 4.8%, 4.6% and 1.3% respectively.
Although physical sleep AIDS are still the mainstream, online consumers' consumption of food therapy sleep products has started to increase.
According to the 2018 healthy sleep market consumption characteristics and trend insight report released by China business news data center, from July 2017 to June 2018, health food and melatonin sales ranked the ninth and tenth among online sleep aid products. According to the year-on-year growth data of the number of consumers, health food, melatonin, jujube seed and brain health products occupy the third, sixth, seventh and eighth places.
Image source: CBNData 2018 healthy sleep market consumption characteristics and trend insight report
based on the fact that food therapy sleep products are heating up in the Chinese sleep market, it is a matter that Chinese food enterprises have paid attention to and are doing research and development of functional food by using natural substances such as drug and food homology and small molecule substances with the effect of sleep aid.
3. Wangwang, mengniu and junlebao have launched sleep AIDS
Considering the actual side effects of melatonin, Chinese food companies are now launching sleep AIDS that focus more on the application of GABA and l-theanine. But in the category, all chose the small dosage beverage preferentially.
As a start-up, Beijing goodnight technology co., ltd. launched China's first functional sleep drink -- goodnight water -- in 2016, with 100ml bottles. The active ingredients to help sleep came from gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and l-theanine, and added the extract of jujube seed and chrysanthemum with calming effect. The GABA in goodnight water is extracted from rice, beans, kelp and other plants. Stevia glycoside is selected as a natural sweetener. It is flavored with apple juice concentrate and lemon juice.
Nearly 90 percent of Internet users use their mobile phones for more than an hour before going to bed, while those born after 1995 spend an average of 80 minutes before going to bed, according to the white paper on Chinese Internet users' sleep 2018 released by China business news. [7] the use of electronic products before bedtime can directly lead to the shortening of sleep time, so it is necessary to improve sleep efficiency.
It is worth mentioning that this product of goodnight technology is aimed at the young people who are accustomed to "retaliatory staying up late", that is, the people who finally have free time and do not want to sleep at night after the busy work and study. Mr. Han xizi, founder of goodnight technology, said that goodnight water for consumers with less sleep time, by increasing the depth of sleep time, improve sleep quality, achieve the effect of sleeping 5 hours = 7 hours, to ensure that wake up full of spirit.
After 18 months of research and development, wangwang mengmeng water, which started to warm up in March this year and was officially launched at the end of June, is 100ml per bottle, containing 376mg of tea theanine, 54mg of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and 35mg of German chrysanthemum extract. It is reported, the GABA raw material of dream water of flourishing flourishing dream, it is the product that USES natural amino acid to ferment below microbial action. Chamomile is mainly used as a natural fragrance and can assist in relieving fatigue and anxiety.
Why is it a priority to develop a sleep drink? Ms MAO zhouyi, head of beverage research and development department of Shanghai wangwang food group co., LTD, said that sleep AIDS are commonly eaten before bed, and drinks, especially 100ml low-dose, low-sugar and low-calorie drinks, do not increase bedtime procedures or cause gastrointestinal burden. At the same time, based on the milk-based sleep drink stability test cycle is relatively longer, in order to meet the needs of the sleep market, wangwang priority launched this 0 fat flavor drink, milk products in the development process.
When it comes to milk, 45 percent of Internet users prefer to drink milk to help them sleep before going to bed, according to the white paper on Chinese Internet users' sleep 2018 released by China business news. [7] by combining milk with sleep AIDS, Chinese dairy enterprises have made some arrangements.
At the end of September this year, junlebao launched a 200ml complex protein drink "one hour before going to bed". The product claims that the protein content is as high as 3.4g per serving, zero sucrose is added, and the natural tranquilizing ingredient gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is added to calm the mind, relieve pressure, help sleep and improve sleep quality.
After 8 years of research and development, mengniu "good evening" chamomile flavored milk drink came out in October this year. Each bottle of 200ml contains 240mg gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and at the same time, it also adds plants or ingredients with soothing effects such as jujube seed, poria cocos powder, soothing herb chamomile, etc., to help sleep well.
In terms of product sales, mengniu "good evening" adopts the new retail mode of social communication, and promotes this functional dairy product through the transmission of social relations, online and offline, and the integration of supply chain.
The huge market of sleep economy is ready to develop, and imported products to reduce stress, calm down and help sleep are also emerging. Chinese food companies have selected more natural and effective extracts based on foreign sleep AIDS and selected small doses of drinks suitable for bedtime.
Sleep food market share, in fact, is not too easy to share
For consumers, the feeling of relaxation and pleasure brought by enjoying food is self-evident compared with taking medicine. But it is inevitable that even as consumers acknowledge "I need" sleep AIDS, it is increasingly difficult for them to express "I believe". How do you get consumers to take the crucial step of trying?
1, key points -- safe and stable, no side effects of sleep
As for sleep, everyone has profound experience, due to individual differences, whether the product can effectively help sleep, different consumer expectations and standards will vary.
Accordingly, the enterprise to play the function of "sleeping" food, in the base of development need to more targeted and large enough product testing, the component content, matters needing attention, and recommends eating cycle information more directly and completely presented to consumers, make consumers with its actual situation, the product has a relatively objective expectations.
Truly pay attention to the pain point of the audience, carefully developed functional food, will not be buried.
At the same time, for functional products, the national qualification certification, is also a strong evidence. Such as, in the face of the country to health care product strict audit process and clinical data standards, wang wang dream water is applying for health care product "blue hat" on the direction of efforts.
2. Additional points -- auxiliary functions for subdividing groups
On the basis of ensuring the function of helping sleep, the product adds other recuperative auxiliary functions according to the subdivision of population and the use of sleep time to make the product more targeted. The speed of falling asleep, the time of deep sleep, and the state after waking up are all measures of good sleep.
Good night technology founder han xizi said, for women, can be combined with oral beauty elements; For the elderly, attention should be paid to daily nutrient supplement and chronic disease management.
Foreign sleep products, for the segmentation of auxiliary functions of the population, has launched the relevant products.
The above mentioned American Dream Water is currently on sale. In addition to sleeping ingredients, the product also adds hyaluronic acid, bamboo silicon extract and other nutrients, which can improve skin condition, reduce eye wrinkles and enhance collagen.
Just last month Yakult, Yakult's Japanese parent company, announced the launch of the Yakult 1000. According to the official website, this product can relieve temporary mental stress, improve the quality of sleep and drowsiness after getting up, and upgrade the active lactic acid bacteria content by 10 times, which is conducive to improving the intestinal environment.
In China, sleep food is still in its infancy, and consumers are more cautious about it. When it comes to "sleep aid", it is not only the demand of consumers and the opportunity of practitioners, but also the touchstone of industry norms and the driving force of standards.
Facing the Chinese sleep market, there is a great space and potential for using herbs, natural extracts and other drugs to produce functional food for sleep.
While sharing the market, how to cultivate the market and build trust with consumers is the foundation of the healthy development of the industry and enterprises.
Food for sleep
Food that helps you sleep is food that helps you sleep. Insomnia is quite annoying, no insomnia, do not understand the pain of insomnia. The patient physiology, psychological adjustment is very important, and the use of drugs, should consult doctors, should not be shy of medical treatment, otherwise it will make the disease more serious. Healthy natural food to help sleep: millet, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and so on.
