Melatonin is a natural hormone that is present in the body. It is synthesized in the pineal gland in the brain and it regulates the sleep and wakefulness. This hormone is derived from the amino acid tryptophan and the neurotransmitter, serotonin. It is often known as sleep hormone. Melatonin is increasing in our body during the latter part of the day, telling us that it is time to sleep. Also, melatonin is produced in plants and defends plant cells as an antioxidant.
It is present in many different foods, including dairy products, tomatoes, cherries, bananas, walnuts, and even beer, among others. In people, melatonin serves as an antioxidant and it has been used to treat many different health conditions, such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some health benefits of melatonin:
Melatonin help stop hair loss
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The melatonin can be applied as a topical treatment for hair loss in both cases, hair loss related to aging and in medical conditions, like alopecia. You should be careful when you use some supplement with melatonin, because large amounts of melatonin can cause side effects in your body. Also, melatonin can interact with other medications you are taking, such as birth control pills, so you need to talk with doctor for recommended dosage.
Might help with fertility
In a recent study was found that fertility is optimized with healthy melatonin levels and the antioxidant nature of melatonin is important for the ovarian health, leading to healthy egg production. The melatonin can control body temperature and female reproductive hormones, including the onset of puberty and the frequency and duration of menstrual cycles. It is clear that there are many different ways in which the healthy melatonin levels can support the fertility and help women conceive.
Help prevent and treat cancer
There are some studies in which are shown that the melatonin has anti – carcinogenic properties, which means that it has the ability to fight against cancer cells and prevent those cancer cells from forming in the first place. This is also related to the anti – inflammatory and antioxidant properties of melatonin. In some studies was shown that melatonin can induce cancer cell death in patients who suffer from cancer. Also, it has been shown that melatonin can slow down the progression of cancer and decrease side effects of treatments in people with advanced stage cancers.
Helps with aging
Melatonin has huge power as antioxidant and it combats cell – damaging free radicals. It has been shown that melatonin has 200% more antioxidant power than Vitamin E and it is better than Vitamin C and Vitamin E in reducing oxidative damage. It can help in the fight against age – related diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, heart disease and others.
Melatonin protect the stomach
There are some studies in which are shown that low melatonin levels in the stomach can be related to stomach problems, like ulcers, heartburn and GERD. It has been shown that melatonin supplements can help to the mentioned conditions. Melatonin can strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and it can help to block acid from entering the esophagus.
Protect against diabetes
There are some studies in which are shown that the natural decrease in melatonin as we are getting older, can be linked to development of type 2 diabetes. In another study was shown that women who have low levels of melatonin had more than twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even after the diet and body weight were taken into consideration.
Helps maintain eye health and vision
Our eyes are parts of our body which are producing melatonin, deepening on how much light these cells are exposed to. The melatonin is key component for the development of the eyes and a shortage of melatonin in early development can cause vision problems. Also, it has been shown that melatonin can protect eye cells from death and help with the diseases, like glaucoma, by decreasing pressure in the eyes, when this was tested in mice.