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Melatonin: Melatonin Supplements
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Melatonin is the principal hormone of the vertebrate pineal gland, and it is ... produced by extra-pineal tissues in amphibians. It is found in plants as well, but at much lower concentrations than in animals. This hormone is involved in setting the timing (entrainment) of mammalian circadian rhythms, as well as regulating seasonal responses to changes in day length in seasonally breeding mammals—so called photoperiodic responses. Photoperiodic responses include changes in reproductive status, behavior and body weight. Seasonal effects on reproduction in humans are subtle, and the role of melatonin here, if any, is unclear. Recently, melatonin supplementation has become popular as a possible aid for sleep disorders among other things.
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Melatonin is one of the more popular dietary supplements in the US today. Melatonin is ... an important antioxidant. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you may need an adjustment to your circadian rhythm. Melatonin may be the nudge your body needs to send you over into dreamland. Melatonin can enhance the amount of natural melatonin produced by the pineal gland in the body during sleeping hours.
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Melatonin has a rapid, mild sleepiness-inducing effect. Because of this trait, properly timed melatonin supplements may help people adapt to changes in sleep-wake schedules, as may occur after jet travel across many time zones or in shift work. The effectiveness of melatonin for relieving insomnia is uncertain. Many concerns remain about melatonin's safety, especially for long-term use.
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Melatonin levels are lower in patients with rheumatoid arthritis than in healthy individuals without arthritis. However, when arthritis patients were treated with the anti-inflammatory medication indomethacin, melatonin levels returned to normal. The chemical structure of melatonin resembles indomethacin, so researchers suspect that melatonin supplements may work similarly to this medication for people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, this theory has not been tested.
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Melatonin levels in mammals decline considerably with aging, which might be a factor in the greater vulnerability of elderly people to infections. People over age60 may show no increase in melatonin production at night. Lifespan studies on mice and rats have shown significant lifespan increase as a result of melatonin supplementation, when given to older rodents and when co-administered with Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH is ... produced in the pineal gland)[JOURNAL OF ANTI-AGING MEDICINE; Pierpaoli,W; 2(4):343-348 (1999)]. Typically, only supplements given at nighttime are effective.
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Melatonin has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of melatonin may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
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Melatonin Supplements