Melatonin an all-natural nightcap, energy booster

Rosario P., 72-year-old grandmother; Mauro T., 32-year-old call center agent; Lisandro D., 54-year-old stressed executive who travels frequently, and Laura D., 52-year-old housewife who is a self-confessed television addict. What do these people have in common? They used to have sleep problems and have benefited a lot from taking melatonin supplementation nightly.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates sleep. During daylight, the pineal gland in the brain produces an important neurotransmitter called serotonin. (A neurotransmitter is a chemical that relays messages between nerve cells.) But at night, the pineal gland stops producing serotonin and instead makes melatonin. This melatonin release helps trigger sleep.

The production of melatonin varies according to the amount of light one is exposed to, such that the body produces more melatonin in a completely dark room than in a dimly lit one.

Melatonin supplements appear to be helpful for people whose natural sleep cycle has been disturbed, such as travelers suffering from jet lag. It may also be helpful in other sleep disorders.

Melatonin secretion decreases as one gets older. Scientists believe this may be the reason why older people have problems sleeping and they have shorter hours of sleep.

Health experts are also now seriously studying the possibility of melatonin’s potential benefit in extending lifespan.

In test-tube and animal experiments, researchers have found that melatonin protects cells, strengthens the immune system, slows the growth of some tumors, and protects the heart and blood vessels.

Tests with laboratory mice suggest that melatonin might also reduce the effects of aging and enhance sexual function, but scientists caution that these results are very preliminary and still not conclusive. Experts agree though that the preliminary findings are exciting and promising.

Scientists have shown that in tests on both rats and mice, melatonin caused a significant 20 percent increase in the lifespan of these experimental animals. There are, however, no human studies to support this contention, but if a similar effect is present in humans, this could translate into an additional 10 to14 years of additional lifespan.

Experts believe that if melatonin does allow one to live longer and healthier, it is likely due to its benefit of reducing free radical damage, stimulating an aging immune system, protecting the cardiovascular system, preserving a youthful circadian rhythm, and stimulating the production of growth hormone.

Aside from melatonin’s potential anti-aging effects, a 1995 rodent study suggests that taking small amounts of melatonin on a regular basis may prevent the age-related decline in testosterone levels, allowing men to be more active sexually in their later years.

In a research published in the prestigious Lancet journal by scientists at the Institute for Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy in Salzburg, Austria, the findings suggest that melatonin also has a protective effect on the heart and blood vessels.

The scientists found that melatonin levels in the patients with coronary artery disease was five times lower than in healthy subjects. They speculated that since melatonin reduces noradrenaline, which may inflict damage in arterial walls, the lack of melatonin in individuals with coronary heart disease fails to keep their noradrenaline levels in check.

In its feature on melatonin, Newsweek magazine labeled the food supplement as "the all-natural nightcap."

Its multifaceted benefits have been cited in many literatures. Studies suggest that melatonin supplements can help travelers and people suffering from mild sleep disorders and who lack energy because of lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep may benefit the most from melatonin supplementation.

According to the Newsweek article, a typical comment from discussion groups on the Internet is, "Folks, I’ve tried it and it’s great. It has ... restored my sleep cycle, given me lots of energy."

Trianon International, which distributes Melatonin-T capsules locally, recommends them to help hasten sleep and ease jet lag, without the hazards or side effects of prescription sleeping pills. Those with any concomitant medical condition should consult their physician first before taking melatonin.

Trianon Melatonin-T is available as an over-the-counter supplement in Mercury, Watson and other leading drug stores nationwide. The brand has received several awards locally for marketing excellence.