- Restore normal bedtime rhythm
- Safe alternative to sleep medications
- Beneficial effects on cognitive function
- Support for the digestive system
- Combat jet-lag syndrome
- Neuroprotective effect
- No risk of addiction
- Immune enhancement
- Reduction of IBS symptoms
- Potent antioxidant
- Help with insomnia
- Shorter latency time
- Improved sleep quality
Now Foods Melatonin is a dietary supplement containing melatonin. It has gained popularity as a means of promoting a normal diurnal rhythm and aiding sleep, but it has a powerful effect on other aspects related to the proper functioning of the body as well.
Melatonin is an organic chemical compound synthesized from tryptophan. Its production and release takes place mainly in pinealocytes located in the pineal gland. Large amounts of melatonin are also produced by enterochromaffin cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Melatonin production is cyclic and dependent on the time of day, so the substance is primarily considered an endogenous synchronizer of the diurnal rhythm. In addition, studies indicate its powerful antioxidant and neuroprotective potential. Melatonin's beneficial effects on the immune system and cognitive function have also been proven. Recent studies have focused on the use of melatonin in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Melatonin's effects on sleep
Melatonin synchronizes circadian rhythms and thus indirectly promotes good sleep. Importantly, it does not exhibit a strictly sleep-inducing effect. Rather, it signals to the body that it is time for a night's rest. Low levels of melatonin result in sleep disorders - the most common are difficulties in falling asleep and staying asleep. These can be observed, for example, in the elderly, in whom, as a result of progressive calcification of the pineal gland, melatonin synthesis is inefficient.
Melatonin not only shortens latency time, but also has a positive effect on sleep quality. It interacts with melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2, which are responsible for the various stages of sleep, including deep sleep and the REM phase. Melatonin users usually declare that they have deeper sleep after taking it, and feel more rested and sleepy when they wake up.
Melatonin is a good solution not only for people who function in a standard daytime rhythm. It is also recommended for people who work night shifts or change time zones. In such people, the internal biological clock is usually disrupted, leading to insomnia and sleep disorders.
Activity in the digestive system
Scientists speculate that melatonin may have a significant effect on gastrointestinal function. Potential uses of melatonin include treating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), among others. As mentioned earlier, in addition to the pineal gland, it is also produced by enterochromaffin cells of the gastric mucosa. While the release of melatonin by the pineal gland is dependent on the time of day, its production in the stomach increases in response to food intake.
In animal studies, melatonin has been shown to be involved in regulating gastrointestinal motility - it can have both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on intestinal smooth muscle. Thus, it promotes the regulation of bowel movements, which is particularly important in patients with IBS.
Melatonin also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects and is likely involved in modulating pain. It was discovered that in people suffering from chronic gastrointestinal pain, the pain subsided at night, when melatonin levels were highest.
Experts point to an existing correlation between the presence of IBS symptoms and anxiety-depressive disorders. It is estimated that about 30% of IBS patients also suffer from depression. A vicious cycle then arises, as psychological stress promotes an exacerbation of the disease. Many patients treated with melatonin show an improvement in mood and a significant alleviation of depression, which can help reduce IBS symptoms.
Antioxidant properties
The antioxidant potential of melatonin is of growing interest to researchers. In tests, it has been proven to neutralize various types of radicals - hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, hypochlorous acid, singlet oxygen. In addition, it prevents oxidative damage at the level of cells, tissues and organs.
Melatonin acts somewhat differently from classic antioxidants, such as vitamin C or E, for example. It does not undergo redox cycling, that is, it does not rather promote or prevent oxidation. As a molecule with many electrons, it seems to react directly with free radicals, resulting in stable compounds that are easily excreted from the body. Moreover, melatonin can reduce the generation of free radicals at the mitochondrial level, and additionally still promotes the synthesis of the most important endogenous antioxidant, glutathione.
The fight against free radicals is important in the prevention of many diseases, especially those known as diseases of civilization. Scientists clearly point to the role of oxidative stress in the etiology of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as premature aging of the body.
In conclusion, Now Foods Melatonin is the supplement most often reached for during periods of insomnia and sleep problems. However, studies show that melatonin's health-promoting potential is much greater. It can support the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and seasonal depression, promotes immune enhancement and benefits cognitive function. At the same time, it is safe for the body and free of the side effects that accompany other sleep medications.