Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland - it induces you to sleep at dusk, which is why it is called the "night hormone" or "sleep hormone". It also has a strong antioxidant effect and increases the body's resistance. Check what affects the level of melatonin and how to supplement its deficiency.

Melatonin - what is it?

Melatoninis a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland almost exclusively in the dark. It has also been proven that it is one of the elements that make up the human circadian clock, i.e. it is responsible for regulating, inter alia, the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.

The main task of the pineal gland is to synchronize the human internal biological clock with the astronomical clock, i.e. with the rhythm of light and darkness by producing melatonin in the right amount at a given time of the day and night.

Where is melatonin produced?

Melatonin is produced on the basis of self-regulation and negative feedback. The entire production process of this hormone involves not only the pineal gland cells, i.e. pinealocytes, but also the nervous system, and more specifically the neurons of the visual pathway. They perceive light stimuli from the photoreceptors of the retina of the eye, the stimulation of which regulates the pineal gland.

Melatonin is produced almost exclusively in the dark by stimulating the nerve fibers of the sympathetic nervous system.

When a large amount of light rays falls on the organ of vision, the synthesis and secretion of melatonin decreases, and its concentration in the blood decreases.

In the dark, the pineal gland produces more melatonin, so its concentration in the blood increases.

The photoreceptors of the retina do not perceive only natural light stimuli, but also those from artificial sources, such as light bulbs, computer monitors or mobile phones.

That is why nowadays the internal biological clock and the astronomical clock are so often out of sync, which may result in sleep disturbances and difficulties in falling asleep.

This phenomenon can be particularly severely experienced by people who frequently travel on transcontinental airplanes and quickly change the time zone (jet lag), as well as blind people and people working in shifts who have to perform their duties at night.

The effect of melatonin on the human endocrine system

Many scientists claim that melatonin not only regulates the sleep-wake rhythm, but also affects the human endocrine system, and more specifically gonadotropic hormones (LH luteinizing hormone and FSH follicle-stimulating hormone), which are responsible for the proper development of gonads and for control of a woman's monthly cycle.

It is believed that melatonin has an anti-gonadotropic effect, i.e. it inhibits the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, thus delaying the process of sexual maturation.

The longer and more frequent the exposure to light radiation, the lower the amount of melatonin in the blood and the faster the development of gonads. It has been observed that children raised in the age of computers, tablets and smartphones mature much faster than children raised 30-40 years ago.

Melatonin concentration in the human body

The concentration of melatonin in the blood serum varies depending on the age of a person, it is the highest in childhood, but decreases after puberty.

Correct melatonin concentration:

  • children 1-3 years old- 250pg / ml
  • in adolescence 8-15 years of age - 120-180pg / ml
  • adults- 70-80pg / ml
  • elderly 65-85 years of age - 20-30 pg / ml

It is worth noting that the melatonin concentration during the day does not change and remains constant at every stage of human life, while the amount of melatonin produced at night decreases, which decreases with age.

This phenomenon explains why older people often have trouble falling asleep and less need for sleep than children and adolescents.

Melatonin deficiency - symptoms

Symptoms of melatonin deficiency are:

  • sleep-wake rhythm disturbance
  • sleep disorder
  • daytime fatigue and sleepiness
  • distraction
  • concentration disorders
  • headache
  • irritability
  • feeling unwell.

These ailments can be alleviated by administering synthetic melatonin. Its main task is to restore the physiological relationship between the internal biological clock and the rhythm dictated by the lighting and external activity of the organism.

Worth knowing

How to naturally replenish melatonin deficiencies?

  • Try to go to bed at the same time and sleep for about 8 hours (this is how much the body needs to regenerate). It is best to go to bed before midnight, provided that it is required by the body (everyone has their own sleep-wake rhythm).
  • Before going to bed, eat something that will calm you down and give you a feeling of bliss - fish, chicken breast, banana, dark bread, pasta, yogurt, cottage cheese (contain tryptophan, amino acid,which raises serotonin levels).
  • Take a walk every day - indoor lighting is always much worse than outside, even on a cloudy day.
  • Although melatonin is available over the counter, it is better to consult your he althcare professional before purchasing. The preparation should be used as recommended by a specialist or with the information provided in the leaflet.

Melatonin tablets - indications for use

Sleep disturbances are a common ailment among travelers. They are associated with a sudden change of time zone (jet lat syndrome), and their intensity depends on the direction of travel and the number of time zones crossed.

For the sudden change of time zone syndrome to be less severe, it is worth taking synthetic melatonin preparations 2 days before a long trip.

Melatonin preparations should be given to blind people who often complain of disturbances in the circadian rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Watching and working at night is not a physiology for our body.

Shift workers often have an unbalanced biological clock and trouble falling asleep. Administering melatonin should alleviate symptoms and make it easier to rest.

Melatonin - dosage

Dosage of melatonin is always described in the preparation leaflet.

Take the drug one hour before bedtime, every day. It is not recommended to discontinue melatonin overnight, it is worth reducing its dose gradually.

Contraindications to the use of synthetic melatonin

Melatonin is an over-the-counter drug, but you should check who should not be taking it before using it. Groups that are advised against the use of melatonin include:

  • pregnant and lactating women
  • children
  • people who consume or are under the influence of alcohol
  • patients with liver diseases,
  • people allergic to it.

Before taking the drug, carefully read the leaflet attached to each preparation. It is worth remembering that you should not drive a motor vehicle after taking melatonin.

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