Melatonin
Melatonin is an important hormone secreted by
the pineal gland in the brain. Since its identification in 1958, studies have
shown that melatonin actually regulates many of the other hormones in the body.
These hormones control our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour patterns that our
bodies respond to every day. The release of melatonin is stimulated by darkness
and suppressed by light, so it helps control when we sleep and when we wake.
Melatonin also controls the timing and release of female reproductive hormones,
affecting menstrual cycles, menarche, and menopause. Overall levels of melatonin
in the body also respond to the process of aging. Children have the highest
levels of nocturnal melatonin; as adults age, their nocturnal melatonin levels
get lower and lower, which means they go to sleep and wake up earlier, and may
suffer from disrupted sleep patterns.
Uses
- Jet lag. Melatonin is used to restore sleeping patterns and
fatigue caused by cross time-zone travel.
- Insomnia. Melatonin can restore more regular sleep patterns in
those who suffer from insomnia as a result of low melatonin levels (that is,
older people and some children with sleep disorders that may be caused by
autism, epilepsy, Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy).
- Cancer. Melatonin can help prevent and treat some cancers,
particularly those that are related to hormones (for example, breast cancer,
prostate cancer) and non–small cell lung cancer. It also
greatly increases the effectiveness and lowers the side effects of some cancer
drugs (for example, interferon and interleukin 2).
- Depression. Melatonin may be beneficial in treating depression
related to low melatonin levels (for example, seasonal affective disorder)
- Preliminary studies show melatonin may be useful in treating
multiple sclerosis, coronary heart disease, epilepsy, and post-menopausal
osteoporosis; and in preventing sudden infant death syndrome.
Dietary Sources
N/A
Other Forms
Melatonin is available as tablets, capsules, and sublingual tablets.
How to Take It
There is no official dosage range for melatonin supplements. Different people
will be more sensitive or less sensitive to melatonin. For those especially
sensitive to it, lower dosages may work as effectively as the standard amount,
while taking the standard amount or higher dosage could cause anxiety and
irritability.
To treat insomnia, one dose of 3 mg an hour before bedtime is usually
effective, although dosages as low as 0.1 to 0.3 mg may improve sleep for some
people. If 3 mg a night is not effective after three days, try 6 mg one hour
before bedtime. An individually effective dose should produce restful sleep with
no daytime irritability or fatigue. For treatment of jet lag, take 5 mg of
melatonin one hour before bedtime upon arrival at your destination, and take it
for the first five days. Dosages for anticancer treatment may be much higher (10
to 50 mg per day). Do not take melatonin supplements long term without
consulting your health care provider.
Precautions
There are no known serious side effects to supervised melatonin use. Lack of
sleep and insufficient exposure to darkness may suppress your body's natural
production of melatonin. Some people may experience vivid dreams or nightmares
when they take melatonin. Overuse or incorrect use of melatonin could disrupt
circadian rhythms. Melatonin can cause drowsiness if taken during the day. If
you experience morning drowsiness after taking melatonin at night, take less of
it.
It may not be good for you to take melatonin if you have an autoimmune
disorder, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or an immune system cancer,
such as lymphoma or leukemia. If you are taking melatonin for depression, make
sure you do so under your health care provider's care and advice. In some cases,
melatonin can actually worsen the symptoms of depression instead of making them
better.
If you take corticosteroids for anti-inflammatory or immune suppressive
purposes (for example, you have had a transplant), use melatonin cautiously, and
always under the supervision of your health care provider. Melatonin could
interfere with fertility. Do not take it if you are pregnant or nursing.
Possible Interactions
Chronic administration of beta-blockers (a class of medications used for the
treatment of high blood pressure) may reduce the production of melatonin by the
body. However, this effect has not been shown to affect sleep patterns
(melatonin helps to regulate the body’s sleep cycles).
Melatonin may reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications like
methoxamine and clonidine. Consult with your healthcare provider before using
melatonin if you take these medications.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen may reduce the
levels of melatonin in the blood. Reduced melatonin levels could alter sleep
patterns; consult your health care provider before taking melatonin supplements
if you are taking these medications.
Melatonin supplementation may increase the adverse side effects of
methamphetamine. Talk to your health care provider before using melatonin while
you are taking this medication.
Supporting Research
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Neuroimmunotherapy with low-dose subcutaneous interleukin-2 plus melatonin in
AIDS patients with CD4 cell number below 200/mm3: a biological phase-II
study. J Biol Regul Homeost
Agents. 1995;9:155–158.
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Rosenfeld, I. Dr. Rosenfeld's Guide to Alternative Medicine.
New York, NY: Random House; 1996.
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Weekley LB. Melatonin-induced relaxation of rat aorta: Interaction with
adrenergic agonists. J Pineal Res. 1991;11:28-34.
Zhdanova IV, Wurtman RJ, Morabito C, Piotrovska VR,
Lynch HJ. Effects of low oral doses of melatonin, given 2-4 hours before
habitual bedtime, on sleep in normal young humans. Sleep.
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Sleep-inducing effects of low doses of melatonin ingested in the evening.
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Copyright © 2000 Integrative Medicine
Communications
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