1. What is melatonin ?

Melatonin is rapidly metabolized, chiefly in the liver and it is excreted in the urine. It is both a fat- and water- soluble hormone. The risk of overdosing melatonin is therefore minimal.

Many researchers have demonstrated that levels of melatonin in the body are related to the aging process. Young children have the highest levels of nighttime melatonin, then before puberty melatonin levels drop slightly and these levels are thought to diminish progressively with age.


2. What does Melatonin Do ?

Melatonin is thought to be responsible for the maintenance of the body's circadian system (which itself is in turn responsible for the regular maintenance of the biological processes of digestion and the sleep-wake cycle), as defined by the Journal of Travel Medicine. This is the reason why melatonin became a popular therapy for jet-lag and disturbances of sleep.

Melatonin also acts on various types of cancers (including breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and brain metastases due to solid tumors). Dr. Reiter and his colleagues were able to show that a small dose of melatonin could shield rats from a cancer-causing chemical called safrole.

Melatonin positively influences the reproductive and cardiovascular (it lowers total cholesterol and LDL levels*1) and neurological systems (it may be able to slow development and progress of certain neurological diseases by slowing brain cell damage by free radicals).

Metalonin is an extremely potent antioxidant that get rid of free radicals. When the body metabolize we generate highly reactive molecules called free radicals that weakens our minds and muscles as we age, and contributes to at least 60 degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
*1. (Alt Med Rev 1996;1(2):94-102)


3. Supplemental Melatonin & its benefits

Melatonin supplementation is a synthetical production bio-identical to the hormone produced by the pineal gland that provides the same benefits.

Insomnia :

Melatonin is used as a sleep remedy that helps to fight against insomnia. Indeed, melatonin provides natural sleep to 90% of the persons within thirty minutes. It also promotes restful sleep because it provides a better quality of sleep.

Jet lag/night work :

Airline passengers crossing time zones go through a problem called jet lags. Jet lags are nothing more than a confused body “clock”. The symptoms of jets lags are dizziness, headaches, sore muscles, and disturbed physiological processes.

Melatonin can be useful for night workers to aid sleep because it synchronize the human circadian system.

SAD victims :

Melatonin can also be useful for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) victims, which is also caused by the breakdown of circadian, body-clock regulation.

Indeed, melatonin production changes according to daylight exposure changes.

SAD victims level of melatonin remains constant because they are not able to adjust their body rhythms to the decreased exposure to daylight and this causes their feelings of drowsiness or depression.

Exposing SAD patients to extended periods of artificial light can reduce their symptoms. Melatonin provides additional help.

Immune system :

Melatonin increases the immune system response. Many studies have shown its ability to protect the body from the toxic effects of chemotherapy, its beneficial effects on the thymus gland, its potential benefit in preventing and treating cancer.

It has been proved that melatonin regulates the activities of killer cells and of CD4+ types 1 and 2 lymphocytes. Indeed, melatonin stimulates the production of interleukin-4 in bone marrow T-helper cells and of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in stromal cells, and protects bone marrow cells from apoptosis induced by cytotoxic compounds.

Melatonin maintains a strong, youthful immune system by counteracting the destructive actions of stress.

As melatonin boosts the immune system it also helps to fight colds and flu.
Melatonin also appear to be a promise as a treatment for many other diseases or conditions such as migraine, high cholesterol, hypertension, various kinds of cancer, epilepsy, autism, fetal alcohol syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease.

Longer life :

According to Patrick Quillin, Ph. D., R.D. , C.N.S., Vice President of Nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America: "... thirty million Americans are chronically sleep deprived... five million of these suffer from insomnia...,people who sleep less than six hours each night are in poorer health and have a 70 percent higher mortality rate."