Health Benefits of Melatonin

Melatonin research has increased significantly in the last 25 years or so, and it is exciting to see the increasing amounts of evidence pointing towards numerous health benefits associated with this hormone. Long known for its ability to regulate sleep and other bodily cycles, melatonin has also been identified as a powerful antioxidant and immune system booster that can help prevent and treat a variety of diseases.

What Is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by a gland located in the brain of all mammals called the pineal gland. This gland is light-sensitive, and its production of melatonin is regulated by the daily cycles of light and darkness. Melatonin is necessary for proper regulation of the body's circadian rhythm, the natural 24-hour cycle that determines sleep/awake patterns, metabolism rates, and other daily functions.

Melatonin causes you to naturally get sleepy at night and wake up in the morning as daylight arrives. Melatonin output peaks in the middle of the night, and blood levels drop to their lowest at daybreak and when we awaken.

Melatonin production drops significantly as we age. The pineal gland starts putting out melatonin around the age of 3 months, and increases steadily until the age of 2 or 3, when it begins to drop its nightly production. Blood levels in senior citizens is much lower than in younger people, likely accounting for the higher incidence of sleep disorders in older people. Fortunately, supplemental forms of melatonin are available to counteract these natural drops.

Benefits of Melatonin

• Sleep regulation: As mentioned, melatonin regulates sleep patterns. It is often used to treat jet lag, for people who sleep during the day, and for seniors and others that have trouble sleeping. More current research points to additional benefits of melatonin: It seems to not only induce sleep, but also boosts the effectiveness of what is known as "restorative sleep." One of the reasons plenty of quality sleep is so important is that this is the time when our body repairs and restores its own cells, tissues, and organs, with both healing and the elimination of wastes occurring during each sleep cycle.
  Because of the fact that melatonin production is triggered by darkness, it is a legitimate health concern for night workers who sleep during the day. They need supplemental melatonin to sleep and to prevent potential disease caused by insufficient levels of melatonin (more on that in a moment).
• Antioxidant: Antioxidants are the worst enemies of free-radicals, substances that break down the body and increase our risk for disease. Research indicates that melatonin has powerful antioxidant qualities -- perhaps even more potent than known antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E. Some studies have produced evidence that melatonin may help to protect genetic material in the body from damage, thus reducing risk for cancer, stroke, and other debilitating conditions. Studies have linked low levels of melatonin to breast, prostate, liver, and other cancers. Melatonin is also involved in the regulation of many of the female hormones.
  Melatonin is also structured so that it has the ability to pass through the membrane of literally all cells of the body, including the brain (because it can cross the blood-brain barrier).
• Cognitive and mood-altering benefits: Melatonin can help stabilize moods, fight depression, and help with other neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown it to be particularly beneficial for combating "sundowning" in Alzheimer's patients, a phenomenon characterized by increased confusion and agitation occurring in the evening. Research has also linked Parkinson's disease to reduced melatonin secretion.
• Immune system: Melatonin may also help strengthen the immune system, by bolstering the production of natural killer cells, and because of its antioxidant properties. It can also reduce the effects of aging, and in one study actually extended the life span of rats by 25%. The implications for this in humans is as of yet unproven but nonetheless very interesting.
  Melatonin has also been used successfully to combat the hazardous side effects of chemotherapy, a situation that seriously impacts the health of the immune system
• Migraine headaches: Melatonin has also been used to prevent and treat migraine headaches, with many patients reporting up to a 50% reduction in the number of migraines after taking melatonin supplements. This may be because of its anti-inflammatory effect.

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