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Pituitary gland
Pineal Gland Secretions
• Epithalamin •Pineal Gland
120
100
Melatonin (pg/ml)
80
60
40
20
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Age (years)
Melatonin Supplement Effects
• Helps insomnia
– Especially in the elderly
– Decreases time to fall asleep by 14 minutes
– Improves sleep efficiency, but not total sleep time
• Improves jet lag
– When taken the day of the flight and continued
for 5 days
Probable Effects of Melatonin
• Protects against free radical damage from
certain carcinogens, herbicides, and
radiation
• Prevents or helps fight tumors
• Delays some effects of aging
• Immune enhancer
Probable Effects of Melatonin
• Assists in coping with stress
• Increases the ability to experience pleasure
• Lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk
of heart rhythm problems
• Lowers risk of osteoporosis
Control of Melatonin in England
and Canada
• England and Canada ban sale
– Considered a drug, must be obtained from
physician for specific medical condition
Control of Melatonin in the U.S.
• U.S. — Dietary Supplement
– Due to a 1994 Act passed by Congress, FDA
cannot review dietary supplements for
effectiveness or safety.
– Manufacturers are not required to present evidence
of purity or even to demonstrate that any melatonin
is present in the product.
– Bottles in the U.S. do not identify the manufacturer
“proprietary info.”
– Some melatonin products are made from bovine
pineal glands.
– Recent analysis found that 4 of 6 melatonin
products contained unspecified impurities.
Cautions and Unknowns of
Melatonin Supplements
• Purity
• Label accuracy regarding quantity
• Potential long term adverse effects
• Possible undesirable side effects of high
doses, such as reduced fertility
• Possible dangerous interaction with
prescription drugs
Factors Involved in the
Production of Melatonin
• The body does not store melatonin. A daily
production is needed.
• Light/dark signals from the retina travel through
the optical nerve to the brain where they
combine with signals from our “body clock,”
telling the gland to start and stop melatonin
production.
• Melatonin can also be produced directly by the
retina itself under conditions of darkness, with
no involvement of the pineal gland.
Melatonin Level Variations
Throughout the Day
8 0
7 0
M e l a t o n i n
( p g 6 / m0 l )
5 0
4 0
3 0
2 0
1 0
0
2 : 0 0 P M D a r k n e s s2 : 0 0 A M 7 : 0 0 A
T i m e o f D a y
Sleep is Better Before Midnight
“Sleep is worth far more before than after midnight.
Two hours’ good sleep before twelve o’clock is
worth more than four hours after twelve o’clock…”
3 . 5
3 . 0
M e l a t o n i n
( n g / l i 2 t e. 5 r )
2 . 0
1 . 5
1 . 0
0 . 5
0 . 0
1 0 A M 2 P M 6 P M 1 0 P M 2 P M 6 A M 1 0 A M
Sunlight
Sunlight – Nature’s
Wonderful
Wonderful Healing Agent
• Alcohol
–Up to 41 percent reduction
• Tobacco
Drugs and Supplements that
Reduce Melatonin
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Beta & Calcium Channel Blockers
• Anti-anxiety drugs & sleep aids
• Vitamin B12 (3 mg a day)
• Anti-depressants
Habits that Increase Melatonin
Production
• Increase exposure to natural light and
minimize exposure to artificial light.
• Sleep in complete darkness.
• Eat foods rich in melatonin, tryptophan,
and vitamin B6.
• Avoid a calcium deficiency.
• Restrict food intake in general.
• Practice fasting, especially in evening
hours.
The information
contained in this
presentation may be
found in
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