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Melatonin Melatonin received a tremendous amount of press and notoriety after appearing in Newsweek in 1995. Melatonin has been touted as “nature’s age-reversing, disease-fighting, sex-enhancing hormone” and became known as the “wonder pill” during the mid 1990’s. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland that helps regulate the body’s clock, and is used as a supplement to bring on sleep and/or decrease jet lag. Signs and Symptoms for Nutrient Applications- Sleep disorders - Jet lag - Antioxidant - Cancer therapy adjunct Clinical Applications/ResearchMelatonin Small amounts of melatonin are synthesized in other parts of the body besides the pineal gland. The substance was originally termed “melatonin” because it lightens the skin of tadpoles by an action on melanophores (skin cells), however, it does not appear to play a physiological role in the regulation of skin color. Melatonin is synthesized from tryptophan (an amino acid), which metabolizes to serotonin (a neurotransmitter), and then to melatonin. It is synthesized mostly in the dark, and synthesis decreases in the light. The sympathetic nerves to the pineal regulate the circadian rhythm in melatonin synthesis by regulating enzymes. It has been suggested that melatonin provides sort of a timing signal to various organs. Melatonin has antioxidant, antiestrogenic and anticarcinogenic properties. Melatonin, as an antioxidant, appears to neutralize the hydroxyl radical, the most damaging of all the oxygen-based free radicals. Some studies suggest that melatonin inhibits initiation and growth of some hormonally related cancers, such as breast or prostate cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer, especially when used in conjunction with interferon or interleukin 2 treatment. Several studies have concluded that 20 mg of melatonin taken with chemotherapy may improve the patient's survival time and "chemotherapeutic toxicity" during cancer treatment. A 1999 Slovak research study regarding the use of melatonin in the treatment of tumors reported that "melatonin has potentially important influence on the neoplastic growth and direct and indirect oncostatic effect in some forms of neoplasia. The beneficial influence of melatonin alone or its combination with immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy in many clinical studies in patients with tumors was demonstrated" (Cesk. Fysiol., 1999 Feb; 48(1):27-40). Suggested Dosage3 mg before bed or as directed by your healthcare professional; high dose melatonin is not used for sleep; high dose melatonin no longer has sleep benefits, but is one of the most powerful antioxidants the body makes. Dosages for anticancer treatment may be as high as 10-50 mg per day. Contraindications/ToxicologyLong term melatonin supplementation should only be given with the advice of a trained healthcare professional. Melatonin can cause drowsiness if taken during the day. Melatonin may be contraindicated in autoimmune disorders and immune system cancers (leukemia, lypmphoma). Use caution when taking corticosteroids, due to melatonin’s effect on suppressing corticosteroid activity. Disclaimer: The statements above have not been evaluated by the FDA. The nutritional suggestions and research provided are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease and should not be used as a substitute for sound medical advice. Please see your health care professional in all matters pertaining to your physical health.
Copyright: Copyright
HealthQuest, Inc. All rights reserved. Information used with permission from the
HealthQuest Nutritional Database Version 4.0
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