The Hormone Melatonin

The Hormone Melatonin: what it is, what it is for (and how to take it)

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, whose main function is to regulate the circadian cycle, stimulating sleep at the end of the day. In addition, melatonin also promotes the proper functioning of the body and acts as an antioxidant.

Melatonin is produced especially at the end of the day, when there are no longer any light stimuli and the metabolism is slower, which means that its production occurs mainly at night. Therefore, at bedtime, it is important to avoid light, sound or aromatic stimuli that can speed up the metabolism and decrease the production of melatonin.

In general, melatonin production decreases with aging, which is why sleep disorders are more common in adults or the elderly. Although it is naturally produced by the body, it is also possible to obtain melatonin through dietary supplements or medications.

 

What is melatonin for?

1. Improve sleep quality

Several studies show that melatonin contributes to better sleep quality and helps treat insomnia by increasing total sleep time and reducing the time needed to fall asleep.

2. Strengthen the immune system

Due to its antioxidant effect, melatonin has been shown to help strengthen the immune system, helping to prevent various diseases, especially viral infections.

3. Protect the nervous system

As one of the most powerful antioxidants, melatonin helps protect the nervous system against neuron degradation. For this reason, melatonin can be indicated as an aid in the treatment of problems such as glaucoma, retinopathy, macular degeneration, migraines, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s or ischemia, for example.

4. Improve seasonal depression

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that occurs during the winter and causes symptoms such as sadness, excessive sleep, increased appetite and difficulty concentrating.

5. Reduce stomach acidity

Melatonin helps reduce the production of stomach acid and nitric oxide, a substance that induces relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, reducing gastroesophageal reflux. Therefore, melatonin can be used as an aid in the treatment of this condition or alone, in milder cases.

6. Help in the treatment of cancer

Some studies using breast, prostate, endometrial and ovarian cancer cells have shown that melatonin can help improve the effect of cancer treatment or reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Main functions of melatonin

The function of melatonin is to regulate the circadian cycle, that is, the sleep and wake cycle, as well as the neuroendocrine and body temperature cycles, as these are cyclical and repeat every 24 hours.

In addition, melatonin may also be involved in early fetal development, exerting direct effects on the placenta by playing a role in establishing diurnal rhythms and synchronizing the fetal biological clock.

Alterations in the circadian cycle are associated with sleep disorders and health problems, as this hormone is important for intellectual function, development, mood and good behavior.

How to take melatonin

Melatonin can be consumed in the form of a dietary supplement, with melatonin being 0.21 mg per day for adults over 19 years of age, taken orally, in the form of tablets or drops, 1 to 2 hours before bedtime, to treat migraines and, more frequently, insomnia.

The duration of use of melatonin is, in general, 1 to 4 weeks. However, depending on the individual needs of each person, the doctor may recommend its use for around 13 weeks.

A good alternative to increase the concentration of melatonin in the body is to consume foods that contribute to its production, such as brown rice, bananas, nuts, oranges and spinach, for example. Learn about… other foods that combat insomnia
The duration of use of melatonin is, in general, 1 to 4 weeks. However, depending on the individual needs of each person, the doctor may recommend its use for around 13 weeks.

A good alternative to increase the concentration of melatonin in the body is to consume foods that contribute to its production, such as brown rice, bananas, nuts, oranges and spinach, for example. Discover…other foods that combat insomnia

Melatonin can also be found as a medicine, in capsule form, in higher doses of 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg, and it is recommended to start using it with the lowest dose of 1 mg, taken 30 minutes before bed. This dose can be increased to up to 10 mg per day, according to medical advice, but doses higher than 1 mg increase the risk of side effects.

Possible side effects

Although rare, the most common side effects that may occur are fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, headache, migraine, difficulty concentrating, irritability, anxiety or worsening of depression, for example.

Who should not use it

Melatonin should not be used by children, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by people who are allergic to melatonin or any other component of the formula.

Melatonin can cause daytime sleepiness, so caution should be taken or activities such as driving, using heavy machinery or performing dangerous activities should be avoided.

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