Health Benefits of Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in your brain. In addition to its endogenous functions as a hormone and antioxidant, melatonin is also administered exogenously as a dietary supplement and medication. Its primary role is to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which helps manage your natural sleep cycle (hence it is often known as "sleep hormone"). Due to this function, melatonin is commonly used as a sleep aid to address issues like insomnia. 

Here are some key points about melatonin:

Sleep Aid: Melatonin is often referred to as the “sleep hormone”. Numerous studies have shown that it can improve sleep quality, help people fall asleep faster, and increase total sleep time. For instance, one study involving 50 people with insomnia found that taking melatonin two hours before bedtime led to better sleep outcomes1. However, it’s essential to note that while melatonin has fewer side effects than other sleep medications, it may be less effective.

Seasonal Depression: Melatonin may also play a role in managing seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD occurs each year around the same time, typically during late fall to early winter. Some research suggests that melatonin could be linked to changes in circadian rhythm caused by seasonal light variations.

Other Health Benefits: Beyond sleep regulation, melatonin is involved in various aspects of health:

  • Eye Health: Studies indicate that melatonin may improve eye health.
  • Reducing Acid Reflux: Melatonin might provide relief from acid reflux symptoms.
  • Alleviating Migraine Attacks: Although more evidence is needed, melatonin could potentially help with migraine attacks.
  • Melatonin protects the mitochondria in cells and may inhibit cell death.
  • Melatonin can reduce the cell oxidation and free radicals in the immune cells specifically related to several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke and traumatic brain injuries, among other conditions.
  • Melatonin may improve brain health on the cellular level and help regenerate brain cells.
  • Mounting evidence suggests that melatonin may protect the heart through its anti-inflammatory properties, help reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
  • Melatonin has not only proved beneficial as an oral supplement, but also as a topical treatment for hair loss, both in hair loss related to aging and in medical conditions, like alopecia.
Melatonin and Human Growth Hormone (HGH):

There is evidence that melatonin plays a role in the regulation of GH secretion. At least one research has shown that oral administration of melatonin to normal human males increases basal HGH release and HGH responsiveness to Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) through the same pathways as pyridostigmine. Therefore, it is likely that melatonin plays this facilitatory role at the hypothalamic level by inhibiting endogenous somatostatin release, although with a lower potency than pyridostigmine.

Sources:
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8370132
2. www.britannica.com/science/melatonin

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