Melatonin

The list of ailments that the hormone can supposedly cure is reminiscent of the promises of medieval bathers: as an eternal fountain of youth, it is said to stop ageing, catch free radicals, fight cancer, protect against strokes, calcification and heart attacks, prevent sudden infant death syndrome, memory and libido loss, the common cold, AIDS, schizophrenia, premenstrual complaints and Alzheimer's and make you slim. What's more, melatonin is also said to promote erotic dreams.

Hormone of darkness

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a hormone that is produced from serotonin in the pineal gland (pineal gland), a part of the diencephalon, and controls the human body's day-night rhythm. Chemically speaking, it is an alkaloid derived from tryptamine. The molecular formula is C13H16N2O2. The molecular weight is 232.28 grams per mole.

Melatonin is metabolized in the liver and excreted in the urine. When daylight enters the eye, the secretion of melatonin is stopped; at night, melatonin is released and has a sleep-promoting effect. With increasing age, the body produces less melatonin, which is one of the reasons for sleep disorders in older people. The melatonin balance can also be disturbed by jet lag when traveling long distances, and the same applies to shift work. Restful sleep is important for a functioning memory. One of the reasons for this could be the influence of melatonin on the hippocampus. This region in the brain is important for learning and remembering. Due to the effect of melatonin, the neurophysiological basis of learning and memory, synaptic plasticity, is subject to a clear day-night rhythm. In America, melatonin has been considered a "dietary supplement" since 1994 and can be sold and ordered freely.

From frog hormone to miracle pill

Long before the chemical formula of melatonin was decoded, it was known that frogs could change their skin color with its help. The substance also owes its name to this property: The color cells in the skin are called melanocytes, and -tonin means something like contracting, because the color change is caused by the contraction of the pigment cells. However, it was still a long way to the melatonin pill. It was not until the 1960s that the hormone was successfully reproduced in the laboratory. This marked the beginning of the triumphant advance of the "miracle cure", which reached its peak in the mid-90s. In view of the enormous demand, critics spoke of a collective "melatonin madness": in California, for example, more dollars were spent on melatonin in 1995 than on aspirin.

Radical scavenger

There is still a lack of scientifically sound evidence for most of the advertised health effects. For the most part, these are exaggerated expectations based on animal experiments with rats and mice - which, as nocturnal rodents, are highly unsuitable in this case. The brazen claim that melatonin prolongs life is also based on a flawed study. The gerontologist Walter Pierpaoli dripped melatonin into the drinking water of senile mice - with the result that they lived longer. The crux of the matter: due to a genetic defect, the mice were unable to produce their own melatonin. At best, the hormone administration in the drinking water ensured that a shortened lifespan due to hormone deficiency was normalized. However, it is undisputed that melatonin has an antioxidant effect, i.e. it can scavenge aggressive free radicals. However, this should not automatically lead to the conclusion that it also protects against heart attacks, cancer and ageing, the diseases that are attributed to too many free radicals. There are no useful study results on this either.

Against sleep disorders

Melatonin has been best studied for its original effect as a mediator between dark and light. The hormone makes you tired, and senior citizens, jetlag sufferers and shift workers in particular can benefit from this: Low-dose melatonin pills help them get the sleep they long for. The advantage over other sleeping pills: There is no hangover the following morning. Blind people whose day-night rhythm was disturbed also benefited from melatonin in studies. Taking melatonin ensured that they no longer woke up in the middle of the night and suffered from constant tiredness during the day. As with jet lag, the internal clock was synchronized. However, sighted people can also do this with ordinary daylight! The decisive factor for the effect of melatonin is when it is taken. To reduce jet lag after a westbound flight, the pills would have to be taken in the middle of the night. Melatonin administered at the wrong time can completely disrupt the body's rhythms and increase sleep disorders and jet lag. If you take it during the day, you risk leaden tiredness and impaired driving ability. Because mood and performance can also be impaired, the Arznei-Telegramm advises against taking it during the day.

Melatonin against benzodiazepine dependence

In the case of a 43-year-old woman who had suffered from sleep disorders for 11 years and had been treated with benzodiazepines for a long time, all attempts to stop taking them failed due to withdrawal symptoms and rebound insomnia. The patient could be helped with melatonin. The oral administration of 1 mg melatonin as a sustained-release preparation enabled the patient to stop the benzodiazepine medication completely within two days. Her sleep quality improved and there were no relevant side effects.

Prior to the melatonin treatment, a urine test had provided evidence of low melatonin concentrations and a lack of the typical circadian secretion pattern.

Melatonin stimulates hair growth

Dermatologists at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena have investigated the effect of topical application of melatonin to the scalp of women suffering from diffuse or hormonally induced hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) for the first time. Of particular interest to the researchers was the influence of melatonin on the growth phase (anagen phase) and the resting phase (telogen phase) during the hair growth cycle.

The randomized double-blind study involved 40 women with diffuse or hormonally induced alopecia. They applied a solution containing 0.1% melatonin or placebo to the scalp once a day for 6 months. Hair samples were analyzed microscopically (trichogram) to monitor hair growth rates in the anagen and telogen phases. In addition, the melatonin blood levels were monitored with blood samples during the entire test period. Compared to placebo without active ingredient, the external application of melatonin led to a significant increase in detectable anagen hair in the occipital region of women with androgenetic hair loss. In women with a diffuse hair loss pattern, on the other hand, the number of anagen hairs in the forehead area increased significantly under the influence of melatonin. The increase in anagen hair was also less pronounced, but noticeable, in the occipital region in diffuse hair loss and in the forehead region in androgenetic hair loss. Although the melatonin levels in the blood plasma increased during the therapy, they did not exceed the physiological peak concentrations during sleep. The results of this pilot study thus prove for the first time that the external application of melatonin can also have a positive effect on hair growth in humans. What this hormone effect is based on is still unknown. It is assumed that melatonin stimulates the start of the anagen phase within the hair growth cycle. (Dr. Eberhard J. Wormer, medizin.de)

Need in sport

When taking malatonin as a dietary supplement, strength athletes benefit from its sleep-promoting effect, which contributes to better regeneration and its antioxidant effect, as training in particular leads to increased oxidative processes in the body. Malatonin also has a cortisol-inhibiting, i.e. anti-catabolic effect, which is particularly evident under stressful conditions, as it causes an increased secretion of vosotocin. This effect could conceivably promote muscle building in the long term. Malatonin is considered a non-toxic substance with no side effects. Nevertheless, the dosage specified for each product should be observed when using it.

Safety and side effects

Melatonin is probably safe and harmless for most adults when taken for short periods or applied to the skin. It can cause some side effects including headaches, short-term feelings of depression, daytime drowsiness, dizziness, stomach cramps and irritability. You should not drive or operate machinery for four to five hours after taking melatonin.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Melatonin may not be safe and safe during pregnancy and should therefore not be used by pregnant women. Melatonin may also interfere with ovulation, which may make it more difficult for women to become pregnant.

Not enough is known about the safety and harmlessness of melatonin during breastfeeding, so breastfeeding women should avoid melatonin to be on the safe side.

Children: Melatonin should not be used by children as it may not be safe and harmless for children. Due to its effects on other hormones, it could interfere with development during puberty.

High blood pressure: Melatonin may increase blood pressure in people taking certain medications to control blood pressure.

Diabetes: Melatonin may increase blood sugar levels in diabetics. For this reason, diabetics taking melatonin should carefully monitor their blood sugar levels.

Depression: Melatonin may worsen symptoms of depression.

Seizures: Melatonin may increase the risk of seizures.

Interactions

Melatonin should not be taken in combination with the following medications:

Sedatives (CNS suppressing agents)

Melatonin can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking melatonin in combination with sedatives could increase drowsiness too much.

Caution should be exercised when combining melatonin with the following medications

Hormonal contraceptives

The body produces melatonin. The contraceptive pill appears to increase the amount of melatonin that the body produces itself. Taking melatonin in combination with the contraceptive pill can increase melatonin levels in the body too much.

Caffeine

Caffeine could lower melatonin levels in the body. Taking melatonin in combination with caffeine could reduce the effectiveness of melatonin supplementation

Fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine can increase the amount of melatonin absorbed by the body. Taking melatonin in combination with fluvoxamine may increase the effects and side effects of melatonin.

Diabetes medication

Melatonin may increase blood sugar. Diabetes medications are used to lower blood sugar levels. By increasing blood sugar levels, melatonin could reduce the effect of diabetes medication. For this reason, blood glucose levels should be carefully monitored when using diabetes medications and taking melatonin. It is possible that the dosage of diabetes medication may need to be adjusted.

Drugs that reduce the function of the immune system

Melatonin could improve the function of the immune system. By improving the function of the immune system, melatonin could reduce the effectiveness of medications that reduce the function of the immune system.

Drugs that slow down blood clotting

Melatonin may slow down blood clotting. Taking melatonin in conjunction with medications that also slow blood clotting could increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise.

Some medications that can slow blood clotting include aspirin, diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen, naproxen and others.

Nifedipine GITS

Nifedipine GITS is used to lower blood pressure. Taking melatonin could reduce the effectiveness of nifedipine GITS in lowering blood pressure.

Sedatives (benzodiazepines)

Melatonin can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking melatonin in conjunction with sedatives may increase drowsiness too much.

References

1. Aoyama H, Mori N, Mori W (1987) Anto-glucocotticoid effects of melatonin on adult rats. Acta Pathol Jpn 37: 1143-8
2. Maurizi CP (1990) The therapeutic pontential for tryptophan and melatonin: possible roles in depression, sleep, Alzheimer's disease and abnormal aging. Med Hypotheses 31: 233-42
3. Arndt K. (HG.) (2001) Handbuch Nahrungsergänzungen-Bedeutung und Anwendung leistungssteigernder Substanzen für Bodybuilding und Kraftsport. Pages: 129-132