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The Hidden Depths of Melatonin in Spinal Health

on Oct 20, 2023| Modified on May 15, 2024
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Neck Pain.

Previously, I have discussed many effects of melatonin on human health, but one of the aspects of melatonin I have not discussed here is how melatonin affects the spine.

In this article, I will discuss the multiple methods of action through which melatonin has shown the potential to help improve certain aspects of a damaged or aging spine. One thing I didn't mention about the spine is the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF). One of the essential components of the CSF is melatonin.

As we age, the melatonin levels in the CSF decrease. Counteracting this decline could be beneficial for our health. The CSF circulates throughout various brain regions and is crucial in many neurodegenerative diseases. Melatonin has demonstrated therapeutic effects in these conditions, underscoring its importance beyond merely regulating sleep.

Main Spinal Components

The spine is a relatively complex part of the body that is basically composed of vertebrae( 33) or bones, facet joints, intervertebral discs, nerves, and a spinal cord. Since there is bone in the spine, it is subject to osteoporosis, significantly weakening these bones and increasing the potential for fractures and breaks. The discs, which act as a cushion or shock absorber for the spine, are also subject to damage such as rupture, which is often referred to as a herniated disc, ruptured disc, bulging disc, or slipped disc. These discs are also subject to degenerative disc disease (DDD), with the risk for DDD usually increasing with age. I discussed two potential remedies for DDD in a previous article here:

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/ddd-art-solbrig.html

I also discussed remedies for osteoporosis here:

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/osteoporosis-supplements-art-solbrig.html

There are spinal facet joints that have cartilage to allow the discs to slide against each other so that you can twist and turn, and these can be negatively impacted by arthritis, which can cause back and neck pain. Many arthritis remedies have been reported here, with Borax being a very popular remedy.

Since nerves are involved with the spine, they can become damaged or compressed when the discs develop ruptures or bulges, allowing pressure to be placed on the nerves, which can cause pain wherever the affected nerve or nerves travel. So, a compressed spine nerve can cause pain in a remote area such as a shoulder, leg, hand, elbow, or foot. The nerves can also be damaged through other means, such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, or chemotherapy. This type of damage is generally referred to as peripheral neuropathy (PN). I have previously written about remedies for PN here:

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/five-supplements-for-peripheral-neuropathy.html

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can also be another issue, and this usually occurs through a traumatic event such as an auto accident or a severe fall. The amount of damage can vary significantly, as can the effects of the damage. In severe damage, mobility may be possible only through a mechanical device such as a wheelchair, and surgery may also be an option in some cases, but in less severe damage, it may be possible to improve spinal function through physical therapy and exercise.

So you can see how the spine is capable of causing a myriad of health issues, inflammation, oxidative stress, and pain whenever any of its components become compromised or damaged, and this can result in acute severe pain or chronic pain since these spinal components tend to wear with age. It can be said that the older we get, the greater the chance for us to experience various forms of back pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, and immobility. Back problems affect roughly 80% of Americans at least one or more times during the year, and that is a lot of people with back problems. The most common locations for this pain are in the lumbar or lower back and the cervical spine or neck areas. Two often used remedies for pain in these areas are heat to help relax tight muscles and cryotherapy, such as ice packs to relieve inflammation, swelling, and, ultimately, the pain.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)

The following study suggests that melatonin can ameliorate damaging ferroptosis, iron overload, nucleus pulpous cell injury, oxidative stress, and inflammation while increasing total antioxidant capacity, and these effects combine to help prevent intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10424295/

Here is a relevant study quote :

' This study demonstrated that CM from the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages promoted the NP cell injury. MLT alleviated the CM-induced NP cell injury partly through inhibiting ferroptosis. The findings support the role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of IDD, and suggest that MLT may serve as a potential therapeutic approach for clinical treatment of IDD. '

When it comes to IDD, melatonin can do the following :

  • Melatonin can effectively alleviate intervertebral disc aging and degeneration.
  • Melatonin inhibits disc cell apoptosis and degeneration in multiple ways.
  • Melatonin promotes matrix anabolism in intervertebral disc cells.
  • Melatonin resists oxidative stress, regulates autophagy, and inhibits inflammation.

Osteoporosis                                  

Osteoporosis occurs much more frequently in women than men, but men still get osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Through its multiple methods of action, melatonin has shown that it has the potential to ameliorate or prevent osteoporosis, and since the spine has bone, it can also suffer the bone-weakening effects of osteoporosis and become subject to fracture and breakage :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9585202/

Here is a relevant quote from the review :

'  As an alternative drug for osteoporosis, melatonin can improve the gut ecology, remodel microbiota composition, regulate substance absorption and maintain metabolic balance, all of which are beneficial to the health of bone structure. In conclusion, our review systematically demonstrates the effects of melatonin on bone metabolism. Based on the evidence in this review, melatonin will play a more important role in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. '

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine in adolescents that tends to worsen with age in terms of the degree of curvature of the spine. Generally, surgery is the potential remedy after an excessive degree of spinal curvature is reached. Studies for scoliosis are currently at the animal level, and results have shown that melatonin has the ability to reduce the potential for scoliosis spinal curvature while improving bone integrity. This study also suggests that melatonin deficiency may be a contributing factor for AIS, and correction of that deficiency may help prevent or treat scoliosis as discussed in the following study :

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42467-5

Here is a relevant study quote :

' The trabecular bone quality of the vertebral body was significantly ameliorated in the melatonin-treated bipedal models. Likewise, the number of osteoclasts was significantly less in those treated with melatonin. Our results indicated that melatonin deficiency may be crucial for scoliotic development, and restoration of melatonin levels can prevent scoliotic development with the improvement in bone density. '

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) can cause erosion of the facet joint cartilage and result in very significant back pain. In the following study, it is suggested that melatonin, through multiple methods of action, can help to ameliorate the damage to cartilage and joints caused by OA :

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568163722000770

Here is a relevant study quote :

' Notably, melatonin has been associated with amelioration of oxidative damage by restoring the OA-impaired intracellular antioxidant defense system in articular cartilage. Findings from preliminary application of melatonin or melatonin-loaded biomaterials in animal models have affirmed its potential anti-arthritic effects. Herein, we summarize the anti-arthritic effects of melatonin on OA cartilage and demonstrate that melatonin has potential therapeutic efficacy in treating OA. '                                               

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

The following new review article (August 2023) goes into a lengthy description of how melatonin uses its potent antioxidant effects to significantly reduce a hallmark indicator in SCI, oxidative stress, as well as acting as a potent oxygen radical scavenger itself to promote healing :

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2023.1218553/full

Here is a relevant review quote :

' This review outlines the application of melatonin in SCI, including 1) the relationship between the melatonin rhythm and SCI in clinic; 2) the neuroprotective role of melatonin in experimental traumatic and ischemia/reperfusion SCI, i.e., exhibiting anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptosis effects, facilitating the integrity of the blood–spinal cord barrier, ameliorating edema, preventing neural death, reducing scar formation, and promoting axon regeneration and neuroplasticity; 3) protecting gut microbiota and peripheral organs; 4) synergizing with drugs, rehabilitation training, stem cell therapy, and biomedical material engineering; and 5) the potential side effects. This comprehensive review provides new insights on melatonin as a natural antioxidant therapy in facilitating rehabilitation in SCI. '

Spinal Fracture

Melatonin has also shown the ability to help fractures heal via its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects, as discussed here :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7979260/#:~:text=In addition, melatonin is beneficial,activity, which promotes fracture healing.

Here is a relevant quote from the review article :

' Melatonin can protect MSCs (Mesenchymal Stem Cells) against oxidation-induced apoptosis by reducing ROS production, enhancing cell viability and promoting continued differentiation. Melatonin can increase solute carrier family 39 member 1 expression, activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK pathway, increase phosphorylated-ERK1/2/5 levels and significantly inhibit the production of ROS; moreover, zinc uptake in cells is increased. All the above-mentioned processes can inhibit cell apoptosis . In addition, melatonin is beneficial for the inhibition of oxygen free radical activity during fracture healing and the regulation of antioxidant enzyme activity, which promotes fracture healing. In a previous study, it was observed that in contrast to the fracture group, more bone binding was observed in the melatonin treatment fracture group at the same healing time (28 days after the fracture). '

Sciatic Nerve Injury (SNI)

Another common spine-related issue is SNI, and melatonin has in recent years shown itself to speed the healing process of SNI, again through its multiple methods of action as described in the following March 2023 research article :

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1111101/full#:~:text=Even a single injection of,injured sciatic nerve (12).

Here is an important quote from the review :

' Melatonin treatment can markedly increase the number of axons and thickness of myelin sheath in rat models of sciatic nerve injury. And structural protection of the myelin lamellae can be preserved following repeated low dosage of melatonin administration. Even a single injection of high-dose melatonin can act to protect myelin sheath, prevent axonal loss, and accelerate functional recovery of the injured sciatic nerve. '

So here you can clearly see that melatonin offers multiple benefits for the spine that most doctors will never mention to their patients, but given the very good safety profile of melatonin and the limited scope of treatments and invasiveness of some of those treatments for spinal injuries, why wouldn't your doctor at least mention the adjunctive melatonin option to you.

How To Get Melatonin

Early Morning or Late Afternoon Sun

The simple answer is to supplement with melatonin, but since some people do not tolerate melatonin, supplementing may not work for everyone. So, a free option for getting melatonin with no side effects associated with supplemental melatonin is to let your back face the earlier morning and later afternoon sun. The red and infrared light from the sun can increase melatonin production and can also be helpful for sleep. What if the weather is not conducive to getting sun exposure? Another option is to use a red light/infrared light mat that you can lay on your back daily for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. This has also been shown to promote melatonin production and can be used daily all year or at least when outside sun exposure is impractical. Infrared light from the sun does not seem to penetrate glass very well at all, but it does seem to penetrate clothing.

Topical Melatonin

Another possibility that two of my friends are currently self-testing is topically applied melatonin. One friend has pain in the lower neck while the other friend has lower back pain that is very troublesome for both, and it is having a negative impact on their posture as well as generating very significant and nagging pain. Their initial results appear to be quite promising, but it is very early days and too early to say that the effects will be long-lasting and that is the idea to have long-lasting benefits. These two friends said they would keep me updated with their results. I have another friend who plans to test topical melatonin in one month who has both significant back and neck pain issues. I will report on their results if they show longer-term beneficial effects.

On the downside, my previous experience with topical melatonin is that it definitely traverses the skin and dermal layers and enters into the blood, and studies confirm that it ultimately will reach the blood and go into the general circulation and as such, people who do not tolerate melatonin well may not do well with topical melatonin either. In any case, they are both using a relatively high dose topical application of melatonin and both reported significant benefit within the first week of use with reduced pain and no high pain level occurrences, which were previously regular events for both of them. If their testing continues to improve, I will write about their experiences with topical melatonin.

Topical melatonin is likely allowing them to achieve higher local tissue melatonin levels than can be achieved by even the highest dose of oral melatonin, and it is being applied right where it is needed most.

Conclusion

Melatonin, in multiple studies, has shown beneficial effects for some spinal issues that are quite common in the general public. Melatonin will not likely be helpful for all spinal problems, but for the ones I listed above, beneficial effects seem likely based on the listed studies and others that I have read. Melatonin can be obtained via an oral supplement, morning and afternoon sun exposure, red light therapy (RLT), and topical application.

Do you have a question or comment about this article for Art Solbrig? Please ask it here.

About The Author

Art Solbrig is a researcher who has been reading scientific studies and testing natural remedies for over 30 years searching for useful studies and alternatives that apply positively to human health issues and natural treatments using minerals, vitamins, amino acids, essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, colloidal silver, combination treatments and other alternatives to improve the quality of life of others by writing about his findings and test results in places like Earth Clinic. He documents and writes about many of his experiences in helping others. Art is a native of sunny California.

Related Links:

How to Increase Melatonin Naturally - Art Solbrig
Osteoporosis and Melatonin
Two Potent Remedies for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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2 User Reviews
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Posted by judith (USA) on 12/10/2023
 ★★★★★

I am fascinated by your melatonin research. Until covid, I had little knowledge of melatonin but Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt recommended it and as I've followed him for several decades, my husband and I started taking 10 mg a night. If one tolerates it well, is there a dose you recommend for generally maintaining a healthy spine? I'm also planning to try it for pre-cancerous spots on my face as I read a post on EC about success using melatonin and coconut oil. Blessings, judith

Replied by Art
(California)
12/10/2023
2341 posts

Hi Judith,

For the spine and joints, for myself personally, I would use melatonin lotion because it allows you to reach much higher local concentrations than higher dose oral melatonin is able to reach. I have even more friends that are using it now and all are reporting very good results. Here is a story about 3 of them and how they made their own melatonin lotion at home :

https://www.earthclinic.com/supplements/topical-melatonin-pain-relief-success-stories.html

Art

Article Feedback
Posted by Edy (CA) on 10/24/2023
 ★★★★★

Art, this was am amazing article. Thank you!

Replied by Art
(California)
10/25/2023
2341 posts

That was very nice of you to say, Edy, you are very welcome!

Art

sharon
(MO)
11/14/2023

I have been following Doris Loh, a researcher of high dose melatonin. She has said that every cell has a melatonin receptor. You can google her name, and many of her studies are readable for free. She also has some videos on youtube. Doris Loh - Melatonin and Phase Separation - YouTube

Art
(California)
11/14/2023
2341 posts

Hi Sharon,

Thank you for the additional input regarding melatonin and Doris Loh. I have seen some of her studies. It is thought that every mitochondria produces melatonin which ultimately benefits the cell. Even red blood cells which have no mitochondria produce melatonin. The body is loaded with mitochondria and melatonin receptors.

Art

Article Updates

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Posted by Art (California) on 10/23/2023 2341 posts
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

The Hidden Depths of Melatonin in Spinal Health / Update 10/23/23

To add further corroboration to the idea that melatonin helps to promote healing of spinal cord injury, this new study (10/23/23) shows various methods that melatonin utilizes to do this :

https://www.ibroneuroscience.org/article/S0306-4522(23)00460-8/fulltext

Here is a relevant quote from the study :

' SCIs were simulated in mice by inducing cord contusion at the T9-T10 vertebrae and causing inflammation in primary spinal neurons using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The findings of our study demonstrated that Mel treatment effectively promoted neuromotor recovery through multiple mechanisms, including the reduction of neuronal death, suppression of astrocyte and microglia activation, and attenuation of neuroinflammation. Moreover, Mel therapy significantly upregulated the expression of SIRT1 in both spinal cord tissues and spinal neurons of mice. Additionally, Mel exhibited the potential to mitigate neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction by modulating the levels of Drp1 and TOMM20, thereby addressing the underlying factors contributing to this dysfunction. Furthermore, when SIRT1 was downregulated, it reversed the positive effects of Mel. Overall, our present study suggests that Mel has the capacity to modulate the SIRT1/Drp1 pathway, thereby ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction, attenuating inflammation and apoptosis, and enhancing neural function subsequent to SCIs. '

Art

Replied by Kim
(BC)
03/14/2024

All I really want to know with all the great information you've provided on melatonin and osteoporosis for postmenopausal women is what dosage is beneficial? I've read all the information I can stand to read with my aching back and just want a dosage please?......

Art
(California)
03/15/2024
2341 posts

Hi Kim,

The following randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study (RCT) offers an answer to your question :

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22220591/

Here is a relevant quote from the article :

' A total of 18 women (ages 45-54) were randomized to receive melatonin (3mg, p.o., n=13) or placebo (n=5) nightly for 6months. '

It is not yet known if this is the optimal dose for osteopenia / osteoporosis, but it did show benefit in the women who took this dose of melatonin.

Art

Cetaphil Replacement Options

Posted by Sammy (North County San Diego) on 01/12/2024

Art I would love to replace the cetaphil with a lotion that doesn't contain citric acid as I have a terrible reaction to it. Would I be able to replace Cetaphil with an oil, such as castor oil, coconut oil, or almond oil?

Thank you for sharing your recipe and your knowledge.

Replied by Art
(California)
01/13/2024
2341 posts

Hi Sammy,

You're welcome!

I have not tried any oils, so I do not know how they will work, but it may require shaking very well before each use if you choose to go in that direction. If you decide to try an oil, please let us know how it works out. There are many lotions which do not contain vitamin C that you can consider. A typical example where you can see the ingredient list:

https://www.dove.com/us/en/p/body-love-restoring-care-body-lotion.html/00011111030954

If you're trying to use a product with less, "other ingredients", you can consider a basic aloe vera gel product which I have found effective and it can potentially have transdermal penetration enhancing effects as discussed here :

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282176713_Aloe_Vera_as_Penetration_Enhancer

Art

Melatonin Internal Dosage

1 User Review
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Posted by Frances (Cabarlah, Qld.) on 10/22/2023

Melatonin degenerated discs, spine

Art, what dose melatonin do you suggest for those who can take the supplement? In some countries like Australia, one needs a doctor's prescription to obtain melatonin; sometimes up to 3mg can be found on eBay.

Replied by Art
(California)
10/22/2023
2341 posts

Frances,

That is kind of limiting. If 3 mg is what you can get, then that is where you should start. Also add in the sun exposure that I discussed. Most importantly, consider this:

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/ddd-art-solbrig.html

These two should be quite synergistic for DDD!

Art

Bill
(Philippines)
10/23/2023

Hi Frances,

You should be able to find 10mg melatonin on eBay, Amazon or wherever with a more specific search string. Just now, when I did a search on Ebay using "melatonin 10mg" as my search string, I managed to obtain quite a long list of 10mg melatonin items. And I obtained the same successful result when I searched for "melatonin 10mg" on Amazon.

List of 10gm Melatonin Available on Ebay

It really helps if you use specific search criteria as well. For instance, if you specifically wanted fast dissolve 10mg melatonin then you should type in "melatonin 10mg fast dissolve" into the Ebay or Amazon search box.

Replied by Hermes
(Yarrin)
10/25/2023
★★★★★

Hello Art,

Do you know the melatonin dose recommended by age group?

Art
(California)
10/26/2023
2341 posts

Hermes,

As far as dosing by age, I generally would avoid melatonin in people under 25 except for specific health conditions such as Covid-19, sleep problems or cancer as a few examples. I think it is healthful to at least dose minimally once the age of 30 is reached because there is a positive correlation between melatonin decline and age related diseases and for the most part, melatonin has shown benefit in many age related diseases. By age 35, melatonin level has declined significantly and it is around age 35 that age related diseases just start to appear in people and that appearance becomes clearly evident by the early forties.

In the alternative, getting melatonin and vitamin D from the sun is how humans evolved and that seems to work well in general, but as we age, we spend more and more time indoors and less and less time outdoors and I think that we should try and spend more time in the sun, similarly to when we were children in order to continue to get all of the benefits that the sun has to offer us.

Sun exposure also improves mitochondrial function which in turn reduces excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases ATP production to supply energy to the cell where the mitochondria reside. Excessive ROS is thought to increase the aging process. Melatonin reduces ROS in the mitochondria and melatonin is also produced in the mitochondria and if mitochondrial levels of melatonin decline too much, the mitochondria can draw melatonin in from outside the mitochondria, but this is not optimal because melatonin produced inside the mitochondria can rapidly neutralize ROS, but if melatonin has to be drawn into mitochondria from outside of the mitochondria, the neutralization of ROS may be slightly delayed, allowing ROS to possibly damage the mitochondria or reduce its operating efficiency.

I take high dose melatonin to try and reduce the effects of declining melatonin levels on the body as we age. Dosing seems to vary by the individual. I don't think one size fits all.

Art

Q&A

Posted by Dee (Florida) on 02/23/2024

I would just like to know if there is any study on thoracic pain and will Melatonin help?

Replied by Art
(California)
02/24/2024
2341 posts

Hi Dee,

Thoracic back pain is a general term. Do you have a specific diagnosis for the cause of the pain? I ask because while I have definitely seen melatonin lotion help pain in the area of the thoracic spine, if the pain is caused by something like degenerative disc disease, the following maybe a longer term treatment option :

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/ddd-art-solbrig.html

I highly recommend that you consult your doctor for an actual diagnosis of your spinal related pain and your doctor can then tell you if the melatonin lotion will be appropriate or not for your specific diagnosis.

If your doctor approves, then melatonin lotion may be a place to start. You can start with one application sparingly applied per day in the later afternoon. If more relief is needed, you can try an additional application at bed time. Please let us know how you get on with melatonin lotion if you decide to try it. If you experience tiredness, you will have to make the application lighter or use less melatonin powder in your mix. The reason for this is that some people seem to be more sensitive to melatonin and require less melatonin than others to achieve benefit.

Art

Spinal Issues

Posted by Toni (Philadelphia, PA) on 10/21/2023

Hi Art,

The doctor told me my spine arches out like ). The coccyx is like a "shelf" because of this. He blamed this on the way I sit. I sleep on my back and must find the right "spot" to lay to prevent pain in the coccyx. Would the melatonin help me?

Replied by Art
(California)
10/22/2023
2341 posts

Toni,

To be honest, I don't know if it would help your situation, but melatonin has a very good safety profile and it is good for the body in general.

Art

Topical Melatonin

2 User Reviews
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Posted by Edy (California) on 10/23/2023
 ★★★★★

Hi Art,

How many mg do you recommend to start with and how far to go up to, in other words dosing. I have the cream that goes up to 200 mg in 1/2 tsp. Thanks, Edy

Replied by Art
(California)
10/24/2023
2341 posts

Edy,

For me, I tolerate melatonin very well and I would consider 10 mg as a potential starting point for me and see how I react to that dose after a week. It will be different for each person because everyone seems to react to melatonin in their own way. My friends only apply it in the afternoon to try and avoid disrupting the circadian rhythm.

Art

Topical Melatonin
Posted by Rose (Moraga, CA, USA) on 10/20/2023
 ★★★★★

Re: Topical melatonin for DDD

What brand of topical melatonin does Art Solbrig recommend?

Replied by Art
(California)
10/20/2023
2341 posts

Rose,

I am not aware of a commercial product that has such a high melatonin content. My friends are using a home made mix and if their testing results are positive, I will post their mix with my report on them at the same time.

Art

Hollyhock
(America)
10/24/2023

Looking forward to what the mixture is! I have powdered melatonin and just couldn't figure out a way to make it topical.

Replied by Edy
(CA)
10/24/2023

Hi Rose, I buy a product from Zeptil. You can find them here. https://www.zetpilnutrition.com/ I get the cream, not the suppositories.

Replied by Deb
(Fort Worth Texas)
05/15/2024

Which topical melatonin is recommended and what dose?


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