The supplement industry has blown up to over 5000 companies, operating 10,000 stores, selling over $6 billion in products. That means there’s a crapload of supplements out there, and not all of them are necessarily legit. In this series, we are going to play Supplement Ingredient Inspector, and take a look at what’s out there. We’ll talk about just what these ingredients are, what they do, where you can find them, and examine the research behind them… if any exists.
Melatonin
What is it?
Melatonin, or N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a hormone that is naturally produced in the pineal glands in your brain from the amino acid tryptophan. It is produced in response to a lack of light, meaning it is produced primarily at night. Melatonin is actually also a fairly powerful natural antioxidant. As we age, our natural levels of melatonin decrease, which is believed to cause the reduction in the amount of hours slept each night as we get older.
Purpose
Melatonin’s primary purpose is to help regulate your circadian biological rhythm and to control your sleep-wake cycles and patterns. Your body produces it when it is dark to help induce sleep, and shuts off production with any source of light. Melatonin plays a vital role in regulating your immune system and stress management as well. As an antioxidant, melatonin enters your cells and helps to protect your nuclear DNA, which can be essential to proper cell replication and ensuring that your body is functioning the way it should.
Benefits
The benefits of melatonin mostly revolve around sleeping disorders and problems, but aren’t limited to that one area. It might help with jet lag, stabilizing sleep cycles, as well as treating insomnia. It might reduce sleep latency (the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep), while also improving the quality of sleep and ability to wake up in the morning. It is also believed to increase immune system functioning and help the body to handle stress. It might also have some anti-carcinogenic properties as well.
Research
The sedative and sleep assistance properties have been fairly well documented, and this is by far the most prolific use of melatonin. Studies have shown that while melatonin won’t instantly change your sleep cycles, it can help to increase alertness and coordination when experiencing jet lag. Research shows that melatonin can shorten the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep by about 12 minutes, which is significant. Test results comparing the quality of sleep don’t necessarily show that melatonin improves sleep quality or efficiency (the amount of time you are actually asleep while you are in bed attempting to sleep). Additional studies have shown a vast array of other potential uses for melatonin. It has been shown to be potentially helpful in treating headaches, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), menopausal symptoms, as well as decreasing sunburns and possibly even helping to reduce rates of prostate and breast cancer. Some studies even suggest that it could be used to help treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and epilepsy (particularly in children). The most conclusive studies have been done treating sleep disorders in blind people (that cannot detect light with their eyes). The effectiveness of melatonin in studies seems to increase with age, so it is not completely conclusive that it is a sleep cure-all for everyone, but there is more research backing up the benefits than there is opposing it.
Where can I find it?
There are many companies out there producing over the counter melatonin supplements. Since it is so popular as a remedy for jet lag and irregular sleep patterns, it is in very high demand and you should be able to find it at just about any grocery, drug or health food store and online. You can find many different types, from orally administered capsules and tablets to even creams and sprays that can be applied directly under the tongue or inside your cheeks. There are both synthetic and natural varieties, each with their individual problems. Synthetic melatonin is obviously not the same as the one created in your body. However, it avoids the potential for carrying communicable diseases that comes with the naturally occurring melatonin hormone.
Verdict
Unlike with other sleep tactics and supplements, melatonin is effective for just about anyone who tries it--due to the fact that it is supplementing the exact hormone in your body that accomplishes the intended functions. It is probably the single best supplement for curing insomnia and sleeping disorders, and can help to ensure a good, restful night’s sleep (which can do wonders for aiding in recovery and maintaining energy levels). If you are putting in the extra hours at the gym, you will want to ensure that you are getting ample sleep to take full advantage of all that hard work. Melatonin can help you accomplish that whether you are experiencing problems or not. Its benefits in the areas of immunity, stress management and possible protection against several forms of cancer and DNA mutation almost make this supplement a no-brainer. There are side effects such as drowsiness, more vivid dreaming, and even increased blood pressure. You also need to be aware of other drugs and substances that you are taking, due to the potential for adverse interactions with melatonin. These substances include NSAIDs, blood-thinning meds, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, beta-blockers, blood pressure & blood sugar meds, tamoxifen, caffeine, steroids, alcohol and tobacco. The majority of these substances are antagonistic and reduce your melatonin levels, so if you are having sleep problems, you may look to cut these out (particularly later in the day).
For anyone with sleep problems or looking for better sleep, I would definitely recommend at least trying melatonin.
Resources:
Bowden, Jonny, Ph.D, C.N.S, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy. Beverly, MA: Fairwinds Press, 2009
"Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melatonin/NS_patient-melatonin>.
"Melatonin for Sleep: Hormone and Supplement Effects on Sleep." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Healthwise. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview>.
Ehrlich, Steven D. "Melatonin." University of Maryland Medical Center | Home. A.D.A.M. Inc. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/melatonin-000315.htm>.
"Melatonin: MedlinePlus Supplements." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Consumers Version. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/940.html>.
Peter Bauman – Peter is a chef first and personal trainer second, with a background in the biological sciences and degree in psychology from UC Berkeley. He takes the tactics that work with elite athletes at California Strength—one of the leading athletic training facilities in the country—and helps to apply them to the lives of the Average Joe to get results.