By Brendan Sheridan, Student Pharmacist
and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team
Turkey Lurkey Time was a song and dance routine from the Broadway musical Promises, Promises: The Musical Comedy. The 1968 production was based on a book by Neil Simon with the music by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Turkey Lurkey Time was featured on the 1969 Tony Awards and season four of the Fox TV hit Glee.
Turkey reminds us about the holidays. Several sources estimate the average holiday meal provides between 1900 to 3000 calories with around 100-150 grams of fat. It is hard to pass up our holiday favorites!
In 2000, a study published in a reputable medical journal indicated the average American gains 5 pounds over the holidays. This is a scary number. Good news. A more recent 2019 study in Physiology and Behavior found the holidays increased weight by 1 pound. So, one could call the 5-pound myth a fat lie!
Suggestions for eating at the holidays include watching portion sizes, snack wisely, stay active, get plenty of sleep and try to reduce stress.
A study published in Obesity found individuals who exercised in the morning lost more weight than their counterparts who exercised in the midday or evening. The difference was 5-7 pounds lighter in those with regular morning exercise. An energetic walk in the morning could have substantial benefits.
Another suggestion was to get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep are associated with weight gain and increases in blood glucose. This does not mean relying on turkey-induced sleep! This is another common myth.
Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make vitamin B3 (niacin) and the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin is then converted into the essential sleep hormone melatonin.
What is the myth about turkey and tryptophan? There are many foods higher in tryptophan than turkey including chicken, nuts, and cheeses. One study calculated an individual would have to eat 8 pounds of turkey meat to achieve high enough levels of tryptophan to induce sleep or as some refer to as a food coma!
If turkey is not the way for good sleep, what can be used? This is a great conversation to have with your healthcare professional. There are both prescription and nonprescription options. There are significant pros and cons to the options.
First try sleep hygiene practices such as keeping the room dark and sleeping in your bed rather than a couch or chair. Stay consistent with bedtime as well as awaking. Remove any distractions such as cell phones, computers or televisions. Caffeine, alcohol or large meals before bedtime can result in poor quality sleep. However, the trend in the last three years shows a significant increase in consumer use of melatonin.
Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone used in regulation of circadian rhythm and inducing sleep. It is produced in higher quantities when the body is exposed to darkness. Lower levels of melatonin are associated with sleep difficulties.
Melatonin can be found in many forms including gummies commonly used as an over the counter sleep aid. Vitamins, supplements, and herbals, including melatonin, are not regulated by the FDA and therefore, some products may contain different amounts of active and inactive ingredients than what is listed on the label.
A recent study evaluated 25 different melatonin gummy brands and found certain brands may contain up to 347% of the melatonin stated on the label. One brand, which claimed to have cannabidiol (CBD) and melatonin, did not contain any detectable levels of melatonin when analyzed and only contained CBD. Twenty-two of the 25 products had inaccurate amounts of melatonin compared to the label and only 3 products were within 10% of the stated amount.
Melatonin gummies with larger doses than stated may be harmful and can lead to rebound insomnia if taken for long periods of time. Although melatonin has not been shown to be fatal in adults even at extremely high doses, serious side effects may occur. These side effects include short-term depression, vivid or bizarre dreams, confusion or disorientation, very low blood pressure, and a risk of interacting with other medications. Extra caution should be taken when giving melatonin gummies to children, because consuming the gummies as directed may result in exposing a child to 40 to 130 times the amount of melatonin naturally produced at nighttime.
Enjoy your turkey and be thankful for your healthcare professionals who are here to help you navigate exercise and sleep!
