Health Benefits Of Melatonin

Melatonin is a naturally occurring compound found in plants, microbes and the human body.  Most people know it for its effects related to sleep and regulating the sleep cycle.  It also has powerful effects as an antioxidant.  In humans it is secreted by the pineal gland, which lies outside the blood brain barrier but secretes the chemical into the bloodstream and therefore is a hormone. 

Melatonin is secreted each night in response to darkness. It gradually builds up in our system and peaks in concentration in the blood during the night and then tapers off towards morning to allow us to wake up. People who struggle sleeping can take melatonin as an over the counter supplement to help augment their natural reserves. A normal dose is 3mg before bed. It is not recommended to take more than the suggested dose as it may have an effect that is opposite of what it is taken for and you may end up unable to sleep. It is not recommended to take it for extended periods over 3 months without consulting a doctor. There is some evidence that taking higher doses will suppress the body's natural melatonin and when coming off the supplement your body will produce less than what it is needed and trouble sleeping may return and in fact be worse than before. Overall melatonin is well tolerated and there are few common side effects.  It is readily available in drugstores as a stand alone supplement or in special sleep aid brands like Melatrol.

Along with our immune system the antioxidants roam around performing surveillance and killing cells and molecules that cause cancer and other damage.  Melatonin is sort of like a single use antioxidant.  It is unlike other antioxidants such as vitamin C because once it has found a free radical and neutralized it, it is used up and cannot be regenerated.  It is highly effective because it can penetrate anywhere in the body and easily crosses the blood brain barrier. Some animal studies suggest that it can help lengthen life span. 

Studies into the uses of melatonin are ongoing and target a variety of potential areas of benefit.  Things like seasonal affective disorder (SAD) where a particular type of depression is due to the varying light levels present during the year.  Promise has been shown in cancer patients, most likely due to its antioxidant effects.  Studies of mice and rats show that it may help with controlling obesity by forming a different type of fat tissue.