Anti-Inflammatory Diet Improves Chemotherapy Sleep Quality in 132 Patients
- Targeted nutritional counseling cuts severe sleep disturbances nearly in half for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a randomized trial published in Supportive Care in Cancer in...
- The study followed 132 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who experienced sleep disruptions.
- The Intention-to-treat analysis confirmed the advantages of the dietary training.
Targeted nutritional counseling cuts severe sleep disturbances nearly in half for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a randomized trial published in Supportive Care in Cancer in 2026. Researchers at the Jiangnan University found that an anti-inflammatory diet intervention dropped the rate of clinically relevant sleep problems to 49.2 percent, compared to 78.9 percent in a control group receiving standard clinical care.
Jiangnan University study tests 12-week dietary intervention
The study followed 132 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who experienced sleep disruptions. Over a 12-week period, investigators split the participants into two distinct groups. One cohort received specific educational training on implementing an anti-inflammatory diet, while the comparison group maintained usual clinical care practices. Exactly 116 women completed the full 12-week trial protocol.
The Intention-to-treat analysis confirmed the advantages of the dietary training. Participants in the education group showed a significant Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index advantage of ? ?2.10, with a 95 percent confidence interval ranging from ?3.01 to ?1.18.
Biological markers show measurable drops in systemic inflammation
Alongside subjective sleep tracking, the Jiangnan University research team examined biological blood markers to gauge physiological changes. The shift toward an anti-inflammatory nutritional pattern aligned with clear alterations in the patients’ immune and inflammatory status. Pro-inflammatory markers including interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein all decreased across the study duration.
Conversely, investigators documented an increase in interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory messenger protein. Quality of life ratings among the patients also rose significantly, showing an increase of ? +14.07 with a 95 percent confidence interval spanning from 8.61 to 19.52. The National Natural Science Foundation of China provided funding for the research project.