Melatonin is a hormone produced in the dark, while we sleep, and wanes upon daybreak because bright light signals the production cycle to shut down. It is secreted by the pineal gland, a small organ set behind and between the eyes. This gland serves as the timekeeper of the brain, helping to govern the sleep-wake cycle and, in animals, seasonal rhythms of migration, mating, and hibernation. In the human population, melatonin levels are highest in children.

Melatonin Production:
Melatonin is made from an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which means we can get it only from the foods that we ingest. The tryptophan we consume during the day is converted into serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood. Serotonin, in turn, is converted into melatonin.

Although research on melatonin has been ongoing since its discovery in 1958, it is only recently it has attracted high interest.  Research breakthroughs over the past decade have revealed some startling properties of this amazing substance:

Diseases:  Some research suggests that melatonin may be effective in combating, treating, or preventing AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, asthma, cataracts, diabetes, and Down's syndrome. Some scientists also believe that it may be the basis of a new estrogen-free birth control pill that combats breast cancer at the same time that it prevents conception.

Antioxidant:  Studies conducted by pioneering University of Texas melatonin researcher Dr. Russel Reiter show melatonin to be a potent scavenger of free radicals, unstable molecules that promote cancer and heart disease by damaging DNA, cells, and tissue.

Longevity:  Studies by an Italian immunologist, Dr. Walter Pierpao, and various colleagues have shown that melatonin treatments extended the life span of mice by as much as 25 percent. Moreover, mice that had been treated with melatonin not only lived longer, they also appeared younger, healthier, more vigorous, and sexually rejuvenated.   And, in a study conducted by Polish researchers in April 2002, women between ages sixty-four and eighty years took melatonin at bedtime for six months, and were found to have a slight but significant increase in IGF-1 and an increased level of DHEA.

Cancer:  Researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans have done studies suggesting that melatonin can stop or retard the growth of human breast cancer cells. Cancer specialists in Italy have added melatonin treatments to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in their treatment of cancer patients. They found that such patients experienced tumor regression, in addition to living longer and suffering from fewer side effects than patients who received chemotherapy and immunotherapy alone.

Sleep Distrubances:  Studies suggest that melatonin may be a form of natural sleeping aid, inducing sleep without suppressing REM (dream) sleep and without producing side effects, such as those caused by sedatives and other artificial sleep aids.

Jet Lag:  Travelers have found that by using melatonin they can "reset their biological clocks" after flying across one or more time zones. Numerous studies have confirmed melatonin's efficacy in combating jet lag and restoring restful sleep patterns.

Heart Disease:  Melatonin may help to prevent heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. (Interestingly, melatonin seems to have no such effect on those with normal cholesterol.)

Taking Melatonin

The most natural way to stimulate your body’s production of melatonin is by fine-tuning your exposure to light. Spend time outdoors in the sunlight. In the evening, keep the lighting soft. When it is time to go to sleep, make the room as dark as possible, filtering outdoor lighting and avoiding the use of nightlights. This promotes regular circadian rhythms. Daytime exercise also encourages normal melatonin production, while stress can interfere with it.

Occasional use of melatonin at proper dosages is generally safe and there are few side effects. One to five-mg capsules are available and patients should begin with the smallest effective dose. Melatonin should only be used on a temporary basis while the patient establishes a lifestyle to get into a normal sleep cycle naturally.  The company Life Extension also makes lower dose tablets of 300 mcg that may be useful for some people.

Warnings:  Melatonin is readily available over-the-counter at most health food stores and pharmacies. It should be taken under the guidance of a health care professional, especially if you take other medications, since melatonin interacts with a variety of drugs and can have an adverse effect in those with a chronic medical condition.

Avoid it if you have epilepsy or if you take the blood-thinning drug warfarin. This hormone should NOT be used for extended periods without cycling off of it for a few weeks at a time.