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MELATONIN -
TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM!
by Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN |
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Conventional wisdom would have us
believe that as we age, we need less sleep. If this is so, I have
often wondered, why do I see so many older people looking for help
with chronic insomnia? Obviously, they don't think much of this
theory - some of them are desperate for a good night's sleep.
Therefore, when the research on a substance called Melatonin began
to surface, it immediately made sense: Melatonin is produced by the
pineal gland, and its production lessens as we age. Eureka! a
connection!
The chief effect of Melatonin is to
modulate the circadian rhythms that govern how we perceive night and
day: some of the first interesting results, in fact, were shown in
studies on how to lessen the inconvenience of jet lag
The recommended
nightly dosage in combating jet lag is 3 to 5 milligrams taken at
bedtime at your destination, but don't continue this high dose after
your jet lag is controlled, and don't combine melatonin with a
sleeping pill. I have taken it in the air, if that is when bedtime
at my destination happens to occur.
Researchers in the Netherlands have made a
connection between Melatonin, circadian rhythm, and controlling high
blood pressure, with preliminary research showing very positive
results for the use of melatonin as a blood pressure control agent.
"This is the first double-blind crossover study to
investigate the effect of repeated melatonin intake on 24-hour blood
pressure rhythm in untreated hypertensive patients," the authors
write, while recommending future studies in larger patient groups to
define subgroups of patients who would benefit most from melatonin
intake. "The present study suggests that support of circadian
pacemaker function may provide a new strategy in the treatment of
essential hypertension."
(Hypertension.
2004;43:1-6)
| A word about meditation here: meditation has
often been proposed
as helpful for high blood pressure. Recent research has shown
that meditation increases melatonin levels, which may explain the
effect. In fact, it may explain a whole slew of health benefits
that accrue from meditation. |
There is a good deal of research into the amount
of help shift workers can get from Melatonin, but rather than
give you a synopsis here, I have put two links in
RESOURCES at right which pretty well
cover the issue.
Another area of interest is people
who suffer severely from SAD (Seasonally Affective Disorder).
These are people who pretty much shut down for the winter, when the
sun shines for shorter periods. There is so much research on this
subject and melatonin that I have simply put a link in the
RESOURCES at right for you to follow,
if this is your concern.
One of the most interesting things
about Melatonin is that it seems to be effective in many of the
other areas governed by the pineal gland, such as aging, immune
function, and even mental acuity. Studies are ongoing now in the
area of cancer research, and interestingly, the relatively recent
disorder called fibromyalgia.
Not only that, low Melatonin levels appear to be involved in
periodontal disease.
I have even theorized to myself that
some of these recent developments in human ailments and suffering,
may be related to the fact that we no longer go to sleep when the
sun goes down, but turn on the lights and carry on 'til midnight!
It
is interesting to note here that a recent study showed that airline
stewardesses tend to develop breast cancer at a far higher rate than
women of the same age group in other professions. I also have an
interesting study for you on the connection between Insomnia and the
Immune system. See RESOURCES at right
for both studies.
Corollary to this, and perhaps
related to the immuno-modulatory effects the above would suggest,
there has been an instance of auto-immune hepatitis reported in a
melatonin user: Be careful, therefore, if you have liver problems
or are taking any of the many drugs which can impact the liver. See
RESOURCES at right, and my article on
the Liver for a list of suspect drugs.
Does it really work to resolve
insomnia? In my experience, yes. I went through a lengthy bout of
sleep problems, which I could not resolve with any of the natural
therapies at my disposal, but with a combination of Melatonin and
5-HTP, (called SEROTAIN ) I slept through for the first time
in almost three years. It does not help everyone, however, and I
would not recommend that anyone under the age of 40 try it without
the guidance of a health professional. I have, however, suggested a
homeopathic form of melatonin for some young people, who have
benefited from its use.
In 2001, Israeli researchers reported that
controlled-release melatonin (CRM) improved sleep quality in
type 2 diabetics with insomnia and also facilitated discontinuation
of benzodiazepines (see RESOURCES at
right) in an elderly population.
"Melatonin is secreted in response to darkness," said Dr. Doron
Garfinkel, who is from the department of Aging Research and Internal
Medicine at E. Wolfson Medical Center, in Holon. "It induces sleep
through its synchronizing effect on the internal biologic clock."
I used, and recommend, a 3mg
formulation: and I found that after a week or two, I needed only
half that amount. I also found that after using it for a while, my
sleep cycle adjusted itself, and I was able to discontinue its use
for a month or so. Some people who try it and do not immediately
get results, have tended to try again using more. Don't! Usually,
if you do not get results at first, you need less, not more. Try
halving the dose. Then halving it again! Use the sustained release
formula if you have a tendency to awaken frequently during the
night.
There are a few dietary sources of melatonin: I
recommend walnuts, because of their other health benefits, and tart
red cherries, which also have anti-inflammatory benefits. Recent
research in Spain has shown a connection between low melatonin
levels in the elderly, and inflammatory response, by regulating
nitric oxide and cytokines. ("Chronic
melatonin treatment reduces the age-dependent inflammatory process
in senescence-accelerated mice," Rodriguez MI, Escames G, et al,
Journal of Pineal Research, 2007; 42(3): 272-279. (Address: Dar�o
Acu�a-Castroviejo, Departamento de Fisiolog�a, Facultad de Medicina,
Avda. de Madrid 11, E-18012 Granada, Spain. E-mail: dacuna@ugr.es ).
Is it safe? Research has shown that(
you cannot give enough of it to test animals to cause harm. Long
term, questions have been raised about possible thyroid involvement.
I would definitely not recommend its use for young people with
pineal gland function intact, but for older people whose natural
production has slowed down, it is certainly helpful for sleep, and
possibly also for depressed immune function. Like other natural
hormones, however, I strongly advise using the saliva test to
check and monitor your levels if you are using it long term. See
RESOURCES at right.
In light of the fact that it has no
recorded side effects, and bearing in mind the addictive nature of
most prescription sleep medications and the unpleasant side effects
of some of the OTC remedies, Melatonin is certainly worth trying.
| Keywords:
melatonin, time release melatonin, melatonin insomnia, melatonin
sleep disorders, melatonin immune function, melatonin SAD,
melatonin Seasonal Affective Disorder, the vitamin lady writes
about melatonin health effects |
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