Melatonin Controversy
Should you or shouldn't you be taking melatonin supplements for sleeplessness?
Every now and then a new health sensation sweeps the country, generating headlines and excitement. Recently the spotlight has been on the hormone melatonin. Its proponents have claimed that taking supplements of this naturally produced substance can help us sleep better and alleviate the misery of jet lag. Further claims have been made for its role as a cancer-fighting agent and for its ability to reverse the aging process. As yet, there is no real evidence for these latter two claims.
Melatonin's beneficial effects for aiding sleep and the distress of jet lag, however, is more solidly based on its known part in the sleep/wake cycle; according to Dr. Andrew A. Monjan, Chief of the Neurobiology of Aging Branch of the National Institute of Health, melatonin is "...produced by the body during normal nighttime hours and signals the brain that it is night." Yet controversy exists over its extended use.
What is Melatonin?
Discovered in the 1950's and recognized as a hormone in 1963, melatonin is a secretion of the pineal gland. Production of melatonin is triggered by a group of cells in the hypothalamus portion of the brain, which receives its signal from cells in the eye. It is the fading of daylight that starts this whole process.
How Does Melatonin Function?
Scientists have observed a connection between levels of melatonin and sleep; as our melatonin level rises, we become drowsy and fall asleep. Studies conducted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have shown that small doses of melatonin shorten the time it takes for subjects to fall asleep. Larger doses, however, though still causing sleepiness, also made subjects restless and irritable.
Initial results indicate that the use of melatonin may help prevent or overcome jet lag. Taking melatonin at specific times of the day for a few days prior to a long flight may actually help readjust your internal clock.
The gradual reduction of the natural levels of melatonin during the aging process is believed to be one reason elderly people have more trouble sleeping. Countering that premise, Dr. Monjan says that researchers are finding that variability in levels of melatonin may be based on the overall health status of the individual.
Why the Controversy?
To date, there seems to be no serious side effects to the periodic use of melatonin supplements as a sleeping aid. However, the lack of sufficient data as yet on the possible adverse effects of extended use of melatonin supplements, such as for people who suffer chronic sleeping problems, suggests caution in taking melatonin regularly. Even the substance's most ardent supporters agree that you should refrain from taking melatonin supplements on a regular basis at this time. The following reasons have been cited.
- There is too little controlled data. Marketing "hype" and publicity have outstripped actual scientific data.
- The common over-the-counter dosage of melatonin is 3 milligrams, an amount which produces blood levels of 10-40 times natural levels; physiological effects occur at dosages of .3 milligrams. This large variability in dose argues with the contention some people hold that because melatonin is produced naturally, "it can't hurt" to take supplements.
- Melatonin's reaction with other drugs is not yet known.
- Actual therapeutic effects have not been verified.
- Melatonin is not regulated by the FDA because it is characterized as a diet supplement, not a drug. No standards for dosage have been set, nor are there any guarantees of purity or potency.
Are Supplements the Only Way to Benefit from Melatonin?
Since there is some cause for concern and hesitation in taking melatonin supplements routinely, here are some tips for preserving and improving your body's natural levels of melatonin without resorting to supplements. A few lifestyle changes can be beneficial.
- Get more light during the day. Try to spend more time out of doors. Instead of a coffee break, take a light break by going outside. Find ways to let more light into your home and workplace.
- At night, decrease your exposure to light, especially the hour or two before you go to bed. Keep the lights low when watching television. If you're a bedtime reader, turn on just enough light to see. Pull down the shades or close the window curtains. Wear a sleeping mask if your spouse reads in bed. Don't turn on any bright lights if you wake up at night to use the bathroom.
- Set aside more time for sleep to give your body more time for melatonin production.
- Take calcium/magnesium supplements; don't smoke, drink in moderation; try meditation or other relaxation techniques to reduce stress.
