Melatonin

About Melatonin

• Melatonin is a naturally occurring indoleamine hormone primarily responsible for regulating the human body’s circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles.
• Natural Origin : Melatonin is naturally secreted by the pineal gland in the brain.
  • Its production increases in darkness and decreases when the body is exposed to light.
• Synthetic: Melatonin can also be produced synthetically in laboratories and sold as a dietary supplement, which is known as exogenous melatonin.
• Functions of Melatonin:
  • Sleep Regulation: Melatonin regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle by increasing in darkness and preparing the body for sleep.
    • It is widely used to treat insomnia and jet lag.
  • Pain Regulation: Melatonin may reduce chronic muscle and joint pain by dampening pain signals in the brain and spinal cord, reducing inflammation, calming overactive nerves, and protecting cells from oxidative stress.
  • Antioxidative and Neuroprotective Properties: Nano-formulated melatonin showed enhanced antioxidative and neuroprotective properties because of its sustained release and improved bioavailability.
  • Mitophagy Regulation: Melatonin improves mitophagy, a process that removes unhealthy mitochondria from cells, and enhances mitochondrial biogenesis, which helps reduce oxidative stress
    
  • Role in Parkinson’s Disease: Nano-formulated melatonin showed enhanced neuroprotective effects and reduced oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease models, indicating its potential as a therapeutic candidate.
• Concern: Melatonin provides only modest benefits based on current evidence and may cause side effects such as daytime sleepiness, dizziness, headaches, nausea, hormonal changes, and mood swings.