Most sleep supplements revolve around one thing: melatonin. But melatonin is the end point of a chain, not the starting point. Before your body can produce melatonin, your nervous system needs to calm down first, and that's where the other ingredients in this formula do their work.

How the mechanism works

GABA is the brain's brake

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the main calming neurotransmitter in the brain. It slows down overactive nerve signals, the kind of mental "on-switch" many people notice the moment they lie down.

5-HTP is a building block, not the end product

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is an intermediate step: the body first converts it into serotonin, and serotonin is then converted into melatonin. It works through a gradual pathway, and it isn't the same as taking melatonin directly.

Herbs with a long history

Valerian root, passionflower and hops have been used traditionally to support calm and a natural night's rest. Modern research examines how these plants act on the same GABA pathway described above, as a complement to the precursor route via 5-HTP.

Why this pathway is interesting

Most people know melatonin as "the sleep hormone." Fewer know that serotonin, better known as the "feel-good" chemical, is its direct precursor. Serotonin begins converting into melatonin as it gets dark, which is why a formula built around the serotonin pathway works more gradually than isolated melatonin.

What's in Keanto Sleep

Keanto's Sleep formula combines Ashwagandha KSM-66, valerian root extract, 5-HTP, L-theanine, GABA, chamomile, passionflower and hops extract. Valerian, passionflower and hops are traditionally associated with calm and a natural night's rest.

Rest, the way the body arrives at it.

This information is provided as general background and is not a medical claim. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet.

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Sources

• Sutanto et al. (2024). The impact of 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation on sleep quality and gut microbiota composition in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Clinical Nutrition. Read
• SimplyPotent (2025, summarizing NCCIH). 5-HTP for Sleep: How It May Support Better Rest. Read
• Cruz-Sanabria & Cenerini et al. (2026). Effect of melatonin enriched with L-Tryptophan and 5-Hydroxytryptophan on sleep parameters. ScienceDirect. Read

Note: evidence for 5-HTP in sleep support is positive but still limited in scope (small study groups, mostly in older adults). The GABA pathway and herbal extracts like valerian have a long history of traditional use; large-scale human research into the exact mechanisms is still developing.