Latest Research on Melatonin
★★★★★
Here is a relevant quote from the review :
While melatonin was initially understood to only regulate circadian rhythms, recent studies indicate that it has a far-reaching effect on various organs and physiological systems, such as immunity, cardiovascular function, antioxidant defense, and lipid hemostasis. As a potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory agent, multiple therapeutic applications have been proposed for melatonin.
While this sounds great, not everything is yet known about all of the health benefits that melatonin provides to humans, animals and plant life and that means that melatonin can do even more than this review highlights. I'm still at 132 mg of melatonin per day and I am bolstering this with regular use of melatonin lotion. The natural age related decline of melatonin in people can not be good for our long term health based on the thousands of studies illustrating how melatonin helps maintain our health.
Art
(Georgia)
06/17/2024
Hey Art, Thanks for all the great input on this site. I take about 30 mg a night but just saw a video with a woman claiming that synthetic melatonin, which 90+% is can be loaded with toxic chemicals. Have you researched this issue? Thanks, Steven
Hi Steven,
This is generally considered a problem applying to all supplements, but I have no practical means to discern which supplements might be the best of the bunch. On the web, there are plenty of conversations discussing where supplement manufacturers get their supplement materials from with the general consensus suggesting that the majority of supplements originate in China and may have high toxicant levels. I personally am not hyper focused on that aspect because I have no practical means to test that idea.
I base my thinking regarding melatonin on scientific studies in animals and humans, none of which delve into potential toxins that may or may not be in the tested products. They mainly discuss what benefits the melatonin they are testing has on humans, animals and plants. I base my decisions on whether I use melatonin or not on these studies.
If you go the other way and assume that supplements are tainted based on other data, I guess you just don't use any supplements at all. Even the newer phytomelatonin could be a problem in this sense. My personal choice is to use melatonin for its scientifically proven health effects in humans. I have been taking melatonin at high dose for well over a decade and have consistently increased my dose through the years as more studies confirmed benefit for humans. Before I started using melatonin lotion, I was taking 132 mg of melatonin orally each day and once went as high as 180 mg/day. With my current use of melatonin lotion, my dose is very likely at an all time high. When should I expect those toxic effects to kick in? I wrote about how to make melatonin lotion here :
https://www.earthclinic.com/supplements/topical-melatonin-pain-relief-success-stories.html
I wrote about more effects of melatonin lotion here :
https://www.earthclinic.com/supplements/topical-melatonin-advantages-pain-management-guide.html
I hope that explains my thinking on the subject.
Art
Life-Extending Properties of Melatonin
★★★★★
Although melatonin does many things to try and maintain homeostasis in our bodies, the decline of melatonin as we age doesn't allow melatonin to do this job as effectively as it did when we were younger.
So in thinking about this, I have considered that perhaps melatonin is actually a molecule mechanism built into the body to help prevent population overgrowth. An age related decline of melatonin would help to ensure that people do not live too long as living too long would quickly promote overpopulation of the planet and would result in insufficient food to feed the overpopulated planet. This idea brought forth the question of how the body would know that it needs to reduce melatonin production in order to help prevent overpopulation.
One way that I thought of is through calorie intake. When the body regularly receives a healthful caloric intake, that means there is plenty of food available and prospects are good for continued survival and the body responds to this by decreasing melatonin production at the rate we currently see. On the other hand, if caloric intake declines significantly, as in people are starving, melatonin levels decline even further by 20% in just one week or less as discussed in the following study :
Here is a relevant quote from the study, keeping in mind that this study comes closest to the caloric restriction seen in starving, but not actually starving, as mild to moderate caloric restriction has been shown to have life extending effects :
' Short-term voluntary fasting by total rejection of food or with very limited intake of energy (<300 kcal per day) from 2 to 7 days reduces melatonin concentration in the blood by about 20% (26–28). '
A reduction of melatonin by 20% would significantly lessen the pro health and pro survival effects of melatonin and a very likely outcome from such a scenario would be shortened life expectancy due to increased inflammation, oxidative stress, increased cardiovascular disease, increased cancer rates and reduced total antioxidant capacity. This in turn would likely increase mortality at an earlier age, thereby reducing planet population growth until healthful caloric intake could be restored.
In contrast, increased melatonin intake to try and offset the natural age related decline of melatonin will significantly reduce the number one cause of death in the world, cardiovascular disease (CVD) as I previously discussed here :
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/melatonin-for-cardiovascular-disease.html
If you significantly reduce the number one cause of death in the world, CVD, it seems a reasonable expectation that people are likely to live longer. When you add the organ protective effects and bone protective effects of melatonin to that equation, increased life expectancy also seems a reasonable conclusion. Adding further to this, when you also take into consideration the multiple anticancer mechanisms of melatonin as discussed in the following link, it seems longer life expectancy due to melatonin is a reasonable idea :
Here is a relevant study quote regarding some of the ways that melatonin works against cancer :
' Melatonin inhibits proliferation of cancer cells through triggering cell cycle arrest and causes cell death by induction of apoptosis. Melatonin suppresses metastasis angiogenesis, and proliferation of cancer cells through affecting various signaling pathways in tumor cells. Melatonin also regulates autophagy pathway in cancer cell by affecting oxidative stress condition in tumor cells. These findings suggest that melatonin may increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to anti-cancer agents and may be a potential treatment for cancers either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. '
Studies that actually test if long term use of melatonin can extend life expectancy are lacking due to the length of such a study of many years, but given the above effects of melatonin, it seems illogical to think that melatonin would not extend overall life expectancy. So far melatonin has only been used in animal and insect studies in terms of life extension. The following study discusses melatonin and how it showed life extending effects in a small mammal :
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090622064807.htm
This is a relevant quote from this 2009 study :
' Under normal conditions, this animal shows the first signs of aging after reaching 12 months, mainly through the loss of circadian rhythm in its activities. By continuously administering melatonin, starting a little before 12 months, the appearance of these first signs was delayed by at least 3 months, which is a considerable period in relation to the lifespan of this shrew*. '
The following study discusses some of the known mechanisms of melatonin by which it can potentially extend life expectancy :
Here is a relevant study quote describing some of the mechanisms by which melatonin may offer life extension :
' MT plays an anti-aging role by upregulating the expression of silent information regulator 1/Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). SIRT1 is a histone deacetylase, and its physiological function is to remove acetyl groups, bind DNA strands together, and silence a target gene. In 2008, a study reported that MT increases the level of SIRT1 in a mouse model of accelerated aging (SAMP8 mice), demonstrating a positive correlation between MT and SIRT1 for the first time.9 This positive correlation was supported by two other studies.10, 11 MT enhances the deacetylation of SIRT1 substrates by upregulating SIRT1 expression and thus inhibits premature senescence '
Given all of the above information, it would appear that if you get extra melatonin through supplementation or natural means it can be healthful and possibly life extending, but if you continuously have low and or declining levels of melatonin, it may shorten your time to death. Overall, melatonin should make your stay here on earth a more healthful one!
Art
(Idaho)
06/10/2023
Hi Art, thanks for sharing your thoughts on melatonin. How many mg of melatonin do you take daily for health benefits, longevity, etc? I'm 43 and definitely want to take this antioxidant powerhouse on a more regular basis. I bought some bulk melatonin powder and have been using it on my skin from time to time after reading some studies showing its positive effects on the skin. Just thought I'd share :)
Hi Madelyn,
Thank you for the feedback on what I wrote about melatonin and longevity!
I am currently taking 132 mg of melatonin per night. I have taken higher dose melatonin for many years, but have increased my dose over the years as studies reveal more about the multiple positive health effects of melatonin in humans, animals and plant life.
To me, given the current scientific evidence for melatonin, it makes sense to me to try to counter the proven, age related decline of melatonin in the body. This is why I have consistently written about the health effects of melatonin on EC and elsewhere to share the value of melatonin in helping to maintain our health.
Regarding topical melatonin, I use it topically also. As an example of how I might use it topically, recently a friend mentioned that her ears itch occasionally and that in one ear she also hears an annoying "whooshing noise". She was already using a topical spray of melatonin on her scalp that I had made for her to improve hair growth as I recently wrote about on EC, but can't find to link to and I suggested she try spraying the melatonin in her ears to see if it improved the itching. She called me last night and told me that the spray had alleviated the itch in her ears better than anything she had previously used for that purpose. She also said that on her first application it had also alleviated the annoying whooshing noise in her ear.
I realize I talk incessantly about the many health effects of melatonin, but this is a health forum and melatonin is one of the most healthful single supplements that I am aware of.
Art
(VA)
06/12/2023
Hi Art,
Your posts are so interesting and educational. You mentioned using melatonin topically for hair and I believe also skin. How would a lay person/non-chemist make this, or is there an existing product you like? Would such a formula be safe on the face and around the eyes? Many thanks!
(Idaho)
06/12/2023
Wow! I never would have thought it would even resolve both the itch and whooshing sounds in the ear. I am inspired now to make an all over body oil with some melatonin. Love it!
(Santa Cruz California)
06/11/2023
Does melatonin degrade if 1 year has passed expiration date on bottle?
Sorry, Ashley,
I don't know the answer to your question because I have never had a bottle of melatonin make it to the expiration date.
Art
W I k I p e d I a
Function
One function of the pineal gland is to produce melatonin. Melatonin has various functions in the central nervous system, the most important of which is to help modulate sleep patterns. Melatonin production is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.[23][24] Light sensitive nerve cells in the retina detect light and send this signal to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), synchronizing the SCN to the day-night cycle. Nerve fibers then relay the daylight information from the SCN to the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), then to the spinal cord and via the sympathetic system to superior cervical ganglia (SCG), and from there into the pineal gland.
The compound pinoline is also claimed to be produced in the pineal gland; it is one of the beta-carbolines.[25] This claim is subject to some controversy.[citation needed]
Regulation of the pituitary gland
Studies on rodents suggest that the pineal gland influences the pituitary gland's secretion of the sex hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). Pinealectomy performed on rodents produced no change in pituitary weight, but caused an increase in the concentration of FSH and LH within the gland.[26] Administration of melatonin did not return the concentrations of FSH to normal levels, suggesting that the pineal gland influences pituitary gland secretion of FSH and LH through an undescribed transmitting molecule.[26]
The pineal gland contains receptors for the regulatory neuropeptide, endothelin-1, [27] which, when injected in picomolar quantities into the lateral cerebral ventricle, causes a calcium-mediated increase in pineal glucose metabolism.[28]
Regulation of bone metabolism
Studies in mice suggest that the pineal-derived melatonin regulates new bone deposition. Pineal-derived melatonin mediates its action on the bone cells through MT2 receptors. This pathway could be a potential new target for osteoporosis treatment as the study shows the curative effect of oral melatonin treatment in a postmenopausal osteoporosis mouse model.[29]
Pineal gland - Wikipedia
Timh,
Wow, it's been a minute since you've been around! Glad to see you back posting again!
I wrote about how melatonin can be very useful for osteopenia and osteoporosis here :
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/melatonin-for-osteoporosis.html
Definitely a nice alternative to the prescribed bisphosphonates like Fosamax.
Art
Wow thanx Art. 😀 My health eventually got so bad that I could no longer be active here (as either a reader or contributor) and currently not yet enough functional, but I am still alive and continue making progress. I do wonder how Deirdre, Bill, Oscar, Ted among others of which I cannot properly remember, are doing??? Of your comment "it's been a minute" makes my foggy memory of how long it has actually been obvious, and recently I have been singing over & again the quote from Al Stewart "Time, time, we hardly even knew you - you never touched us with your lies"!
Sue,
Thank you for saying so!
I have not seen a ready made product of this nature.
The simplest way is to dissolve the melatonin is gin. The alcohol content in the gin will evaporate rapidly after application and the juniper berry content has anti inflammatory and antioxidant effects also. This could potentially be used under your normal face moisturizer.
Art
Timh,
Sorry to hear about your present condition and hopefully you will be able to find the best remedies to get well soon. If you need ideas, EC is a good place to find those and the remedy inventory is quite large now!
Oscar and Ted have been unavailable for years now, but Bill and Deirdre are still here!
Best wishes, Timh!
Art
Melatonin and Anti-Rejection Drugs
My wife is on anti rejection drug for kidney transplant and blood pressure medication.
She has trouble sleeping and told me Melatonin can not taken. Please let me know is that the case.
Peter,
Because of the serious nature of your wife's condition (kidney transplant & potentially related issues), you should be talking to her transplant specialist about the use of melatonin and here are a few studies that suggest that melatonin may be beneficial, which you can show to her doctor to give a little more information on the potential utility of melatonin in kidney transplant. I am not a doctor and this is well beyond the scope of information that you should be looking for on a forum that specializes in home remedies. Here are a few relevant links that her doctor can consider as to whether melatonin will be useful for her specific case. :
https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/229/3/R129.xml
https://www.scielo.br/j/ramb/a/JZYNnhjCVYYNtFrtMxZ6kqK/?lang=en
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7073605/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31446153/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30671880/
Best wishes to the both of you!
Art
Melatonin and Blood Thinners
Hi Pam,
Yes, melatonin has blood thinning and anticlotting effects, so getting your doctor's approval if you are already on a blood thinner makes safe sense. Too much blood thinning is bad and can be dangerous. Some common supplements like vitamin E and Serrapeptase can have blood thinning effects also, so anyone who is already on a blood thinner should seek their doctor's advice if adding a supplement with blood thinning qualities.
Art
Melatonin and Daytime Use
★★★★★
When we had covid back in January we all used high dose Melatonin (thanks to Art who kept us informed about the protocol! ) I used it on everyone in the house - ages 9 to 83, based on weight, as Dr. Neel recommends. We took it 4 times a day.
My 83 year old mother in law with dementia did not know what the pills I gave her were, I just added them with her other meds and supplements. She was not symptomatic of covid, but we were using it to try and prevent covid since others in the home had it. (I think it worked, or at least helped! She never got sick, but did lose her sense of smell.) Anyway, her sleep/wake patterns were no different than when she wasn't taking round the clock melatonin. (She always takes it at night.)
It was hard to tell how it affected those of us who were actually sick. Sick people sleep more.
I take 15-20 mg of melatonin every night to help me with sleep (and it definitely improves my quality of sleep! )
Last summer, an hour after taking my melatonin dose, my daughter-in-law went into labor. I had an hour of sleep but woke up easily and drove an hour and 20 minutes to the birth center where she had the baby. I had no trouble driving and no trouble staying awake all night.
I had the opportunity to repeat the experiment last week. I had taken my 20 mg of melatonin and fallen asleep when my daughter went into labor. I woke up and stayed up the rest of the night with her and was able to see another grandchild born. (What a privilege! )
I cannot know how it affects others. But I can say that melatonin does not make it impossible for at least some people to stay awake after taking a significant dose. Certainly it would be wise to know how such a dose would affect you before driving a long way or using heavy equipment.
~Mama to Many~
Montmorency Tart Cherries for Melatonin
★★☆☆☆
Here is a link to the study :
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35790450/
Here is a relevant quote from the abstract :
>>> ' Despite the potential benefits of antioxidants and melatonin, we did not find improvements in sleep time or quality, cellular health or BP in participants consuming MTC for 30 days, though BM decreased in capsule groups. ' <<<
This study implies that if you plan to get your melatonin and its known health benefits from cherries, that will not likely happen. Even if you are just looking for better sleep, the result is still likely to be no benefit.
Art
Sjogren's Syndrome
★★★★★
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38460474/
Here is a relevant quote from the study :
Melatonin had the potential to mitigate inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in SGs of pSS by inhibiting the IL-6/STAT3 pathway through receptor-dependent mechanisms. This intervention effectively prevented glandular damage and preserved functional integrity.
Art
Where to Buy: UK
Can anyone advise me how to buy sufficient quantities from a reputable source?
Hi Katie,
I found 10 mg capsules on Ebay UK :
You may have missed my post about Xlear Nasal Spray for Covid-19, but these are the two main components I plan to use if I get Covid-19. Here is a link to that post :
https://www.earthclinic.com/xlear-for-covid-recovery.html
Here is a link to the product on Amazon UK :
If you can, get her started on the spray if you can get it from a local drug store. The post that I linked to above shows how they used the Xlear Nasal Spray, how often and what effects it had on the small group of patients.
Good luck to you and your friend!
Art
(NY)
02/08/2021
Isn't it strange that they banned melatonin in England, Scotland and Ireland back in 1995? It's even more strange that they haven't allowed it after the thousands of studies that have been done on it since then worldwide. How archaic!
Perhaps now is a good time to start a petition in your country to legalize it for over-the-counter use.
Hi,
I'm in the UK & my son who is asthmatic have just been diagnosed with Covid. Did you manage to find a UK supplier please. I have ordered some from Piping Rock but it will probably take a couple of weeks to get here.
Thank you.
Hi Glennise,
This one ships to the UK:
You can get melatonin by prescription in the UK and any dose is better than no dose. If your Dr. will write a script for each of you for 5 mg capsules for sleep, that amount may hold you over until your order arrives.
Art
Thank you for replying. Delivery from Piping Rock was super fast, it only took 1 week from US.
(Co. Laois)
01/09/2022
Use vitamin d it is the sàme at over 500 u per week if sick help with more until it abates and go back to th 500 u again every week
