Melatonin
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone naturally made in the brain, which is released at night, helping us to have a good night sleep. In brief, melatonin is often referred to simply as a “sleep hormone”. Its production is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.
What is Melatonin used for?
The chief use of melatonin is as a natural remedy for insomnia, because its main role lies in the regulation of sleep-wakefulness cycles and improving quality of sleep.
This makes melatonin especially useful for those who frequently change time zones or work in shifts.
Melatonin's ability to improve the quality of sleep often results in better mood in the morning.
Melatonin had been proven effective in the cure of depression, too, especially SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and bipolar depression, where sleep patterns are often disrupted.
Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant, preventing brain cells from damage and exhibiting anti-tumor properties.
Studies show that melatonin is twice as effective at protecting cell membranes as vitamin E!
If you take melatonin in combination with calcium, it will strengthen your immune system.
Melatonin is able to neutralize the negative effects that stress, drug treatments and infections have on the function of the immune system.
Melatonin may also be helpful for immune disorders, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. Some researches had indicated that melatonin supplementation is an effective preventive treatment for cluster headaches and migraines.
How does Melatonin work?
Melatonin is body’s native sleep-inducing chemical.
Melatonin is manufactured from amino acid tryptophan:
Tryptophan=>5HTP=> Serotonin=>Melatonin
Dangers of Melatonin deficiency
If the proper melatonin manufacture is disrupted, like it frequently happens as a result of stress or ageing, the risk of impairment of cognitive function increases dramatically. That is, the ability to think clearly, remember key facts and make adequate decisions can be greatly hindered by the deregulation of the biological clock. Melatonin is also one of the hormones that controls the timing and release of female sex hormones.
Dietary sources
A number of foods, such as oats, sweet corn and rice, have trace amounts of melatonin, but no food has been found to increase melatonin amounts in the brain.
Availability and dosage
Take 0.3-1 mg before bed
Complementary supplements
Melatonin works well together with relaxing herbs like valerian root, hops, passion flower, kava, damiana, etc., because this combination makes cumulative effect, providing even more deep and restful sleep.
Cautions and side effects
Used appropriately, melatonin causes no side effects.
Doses higher than 0,5mg can produce very vivid dreams or even nightmares. Larger doses can lead to morning “hangover” - grogginess, drowsiness, headaches, nausea and irritability.
Melatonin is good for the occasional relief of insomnia and improvement of the quality of sleep, however continuous use may worsen the mood. Also, after prolonged use tolerance may develop, that means you won’t feel as much the effects of this substance as you used to in the beginning.
Disclaimer: The information on this site is given for educational purposes only. Thorough health assessment done by a health care professional is necessary before deciding to take any of the supplements mentioned.
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