Melatonin

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

The human body lives in obedience to a certain biological rhythm, through which extremely precise refinement of the work of individual organs and systems takes place. Melatonin plays an extremely important role in this complex system of regulation.

Melatonin is a fundamental regulator in the human body. It is a hormone that is present in the bodies of all living things, at levels that change in the daily cycle.

In higher organisms melatonin is produced by a type of cell called pinealocytes in the pineal gland, as well as by the gastrointestinal tract and retina. Melatonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. Its biological activity for a long period of time during the night determines the effect on the cyclic system of biological rhythms.

As mentioned, melatonin is produced in the pituitary gland. It appears only at night and disappears during the day. When it gets dark outside, the pineal gland gradually increases the secretion of melatonin, reaching its maximum in complete darkness. In the morning, the light activates the optic nerve, as the generated impulse passes through the spine and other higher conduction pathways and reaches the pineal gland. There it blocks the synthesis and secretion of melatonin.

By receiving continuous impulses thanks to the optic nerve, the pineal gland is most likely able to regulate the activity of various organs and systems and stimulate the body to switch to a more economical mode when it is dark.

Functions of melatonin

From the above, it became clear that melatonin regulates the alertness-sleep cycle and thus synchronizes biorhythms.

This extremely precise rhythm, which is strictly individual for each person, can derail if disturbances in melatonin secretion occur. When in normal amounts, melatonin lowers a person's body temperature slightly - thus reducing energy consumption and accelerating the regeneration of cells that are not active during sleep.

Melatonin is said to be one of the most powerful antioxidants, acting both at the cell membrane level and inside the cell itself. The levels of melatonin in the peripheral blood are different in young and older people. With age, some systems in the body break down, and the consequence is a change in vital parameters. The sleep-wake cycle is negatively affected. At night, the temperature in the elderly does not drop, which means that the recovery processes during sleep can not take place.

Benefits of melatonin

Melatonin is vital for the proper functioning of complex processes in the body. We have seen that without it it is not possible for cells to regenerate at night, which only leads to negative consequences.

Melatonin has unique properties when it comes to overcoming sleep disorders and disturbances in biorhythms after prolonged flying, for example. Then the biological rhythm of a person is disturbed, which leads to other disorders in the body. That is why pills are often given melatoninthat promote the onset of natural sleep.

The proper functioning of the internal biological rhythm has a very serious effect on the length of human life. Most likely, maintaining diurnal fluctuations in melatonin secretion is especially important for slowing down the aging process in the body. A study conducted in the United States also proved the serious immunostimulatory effect that melatonin has. The results for cancer are extremely encouraging.

Dosage forms melatonin

There are retarded (slow release) and standard forms of melatonin. Both forms can not meet the needs of the human body, because melatonin has a short half-life - between 30-40 minutes. In fact, melatonin needs to be available for 5-7 hours, from the beginning to the end of sleep.

Although melatonin occurs as a standard dietary supplement, however, its use without medical supervision is not recommended. Do not exceed the prescribed daily dose and do not chew the tablets. The good news is that melatonin tablets are not a sleeping pill and are not addictive. It only synchronizes the disturbed biorhythms and guarantees peace of sleep.