Melatonin - Advantages of Melatonin

Melatonin is also one of the hormones that controls the timing and release of female reproductive hormones. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain and is important in the regulation of many hormones in the body. Melatonin helps determine when menstruation begins, the frequency and duration of menstrual cycles, and when menstruation ends.

Melatonin is a natural hormone made by your body's pineal gland. This is a pea-sized gland located just above the middle of the brain. During the day the pineal is inactive. As a result, melatonin levels in the blood rise sharply and you begin to feel less alert. Sleep becomes more inviting.

The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light, suggesting the involvement of melatonin in circadian rhythm and regulation of diverse body functions. Levels of melatonin in the blood are highest prior to bedtime.

For some people, melatonin seems to help improve sleep. Melatonin is a neurohormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan. Levels of melatonin in the blood are highest prior to bedtime. Synthetic melatonin supplements have been used for a variety of medical conditions, most notably for disorders related to sleep.

Melatonin as an antioxidant:-

Melatonin is a highly important antioxidant. Free radicals are chemical constituents that have an unpaired electron. Age related brain deterioration is extremely costly in terms of quality of life. The brain is particularly susceptible to free radical attack.

Vitamin E i.e. alpha- tocopherol in particular and vitamin C i.e. ascorbate aid in protecting the brain from oxidative stress by directly scavenging toxic radicals. The pineal hormone melatonin is rapidly taken up by the brain.

Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that can easily cross cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier. Unlike other antioxidants, melatonin does not undergo redox cycling , the ability of a molecule to undergo reduction and oxidation repeatedly. Therefore, it has been referred to as a terminal (or suicidal) antioxidant.

Melatonin is a human hormone produced deep in the brain by the pineal gland, dubbed "the seat of the soul" by philosophers in ages past. Melatonin has been assumed, logically enough, to have some use as a sleeping pill. Here are some questions, facts, and mysteries.

Melatonin secretion is enhanced in darkness and decreased by light exposure. As we age, melatonin production decreases. In addition to sleep, melatonin has many other functions. One of the common uses of melatonin is for insomnia.

Advantages of melatonin:-

Melatonin is also known as MEL. Melatonin is naturally produced in the body in response to the perception of light.

• Melatonin has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of melatonin may not be known.
• Melatonin is available in a tablet formulation. Other formulations may also be available.
• The use of melatonin derived from animal pineal tissue may carry the risk of contamination or the means of transmitting viral material. The synthetic form of melatonin does not carry this risk.
• Store melatonin as directed on the package. In general, melatonin should be protected from light and moisture.