Effects of black sesame-fortified pudding consumption on psychological stress of community-dwelling older persons

Abstract

Psychological stress in the older persons is an important issue that requires awareness. Functional food might help reduce psychological stress. Lignans in sesame seeds have been reported to reduce stress hormone. This research was aimed to study effects of black sesame-fortified pudding on stress levels in community-dwelling persons. Forty-five volunteers aged ≥ 60 years old with no underlying diseases, and stress index ≥ 35 (primary stress) were divided into a control (consumed normal pudding, n=24) and experimental (consumed black sesame (15-gram)-fortified pudding, n=21). Before and 24-h after the experiment, stress index and heart rate variability (HRV) values (sympathetic proxies: low frequency (LF), low frequency/high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio, and pulse; and parasympathetic proxies: high frequency (HF), standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and square root of the mean squared differences of successive normal R-R intervals (RMSSD) were measured by sphygmograph device. Results showed that after 24 h, stress index in the experimental group significantly reduced, but unchanged in the control group. Sympathetic proxies were unchanged in both groups. Meanwhile, HF value in the experimental group significantly increased compared to baseline and the control group. In conclusion, sesame consumption was able to reduce psychological stress in older persons. Lignans in sesame seeds like sesamin, sesamol, and sesamolin might reduce stress hormone levels, resulting in lowered stress index. Exact mechanisms still have to be further investigated.