Melatonin has always aroused great interest in the scientific world, in addition to being responsible for our sleep and wakefulness cycles, it is also the key to the functioning of our biological clock, in fact, for many people, this is where they are found the coveted secret to prevent aging, stop deterioration and reach an advanced age with better physical and psychological condition.
Such a thing may seem at first glance little more than a chimera, something impossible. However, neuroendocrinologist Walter Perpaoli explains in his book “The Miracle of Melatonin?”That his research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Richmond, Virginia, is working well at the laboratory level.
“Melatonin is the hormone of serenity, inner balance and youth. -Walter Pierpaoli-
It must be said that it will take a few more decades to get stronger results, but this hasn’t stopped melatonin fever from rising even higher since then, as the pharmaceutical industries have seen it as a gold mine. States, for example, produce more than 20,000 bottles of synthetic melatonin per day.
Many people who consume it not only regulate their sleep cycles a little better, it has been shown that melatonin decreases at puberty and that at 40 years our body reduces its synthesis very drastically, so the secret would be to preserve our youth a little more “apparently” to replace that melatonin deficiency.
However, the benefits of this hormone go far beyond preventing the appearance of wrinkles or grays, as its role in our health and psychological balance is simply incredible.
Melatonin or N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine is a hormone synthesized from Tryptophan that is produced in the pineal gland; At the same time, it is interesting to know that not only humans and animals possess this sophisticated and valuable biological element, as it is also present in bacteria, fungi and some algae, is, so to speak, the secret of life.
On the other hand, and for melatonin to occur normally, the body needs to receive the different light and shadow patterns that occur throughout the day, this combination of luminous stimulus reaching the retina, pineal cells of the pineal gland and suprachiasmatic cells. The core of the hypothalamus are the elements that orchestrate synthesis.
We know, for example, that around 8pm, our melatonin levels begin to rise. It will gradually increase until 3 a. m. , when body temperature is usually lower. This is what scientists call “zero biological time. “From this moment on, the level of melatonin drops again.
Out of curiosity, it is worth mentioning that recently melatonin has been isolated from the pineal gland, it was in 1958 that the importance of this hormone in our circadian rhythm was discovered, since then science has gone further by studying its role in depression, obesity and neurodegenerative diseases.
Patracia is 52 years old and has been suffering from insomnia for a few months. As most of us have heard and read from various sources, “melatonin helps us sleep. “So, without thinking, we go to the pharmacy and buy a jar to see how it works. You don’t need a prescription to buy melatonin, doing it in pharmacy is simple, inexpensive and at first glance seems to be the “perfect medicine”.
Is it still true that melatonin can help us end insomnia?
The only studies that support the effectiveness of using synthetic melatonin to treat insomnia do so when the person suffers from what is called delayed sleep phase syndrome (SAFS), a circadian rhythm disorder that causes insomnia, temperature changes, hormonal and attention problems.
Melatonin can be a blessing for people who tend to lead a life with high levels of stress and who, due to work, are forced to spend many hours in environments where there is only artificial light. Consider, for example, doctors, nurses, practical nurses. or any worker who works on long shifts, losing the notion of day or night.
If we are in any of these situations, it is essential to consult a doctor about whether to use synthetic melatonin or if it is better to limit ourselves to improving our diet and adjusting our lifestyle a little better.
As noted at the beginning of the article, as it ages, melatonin ceases to occur in the same amount, however, this decrease not only results in slightly poorer night production or paving the way for gradual aging.
Does this explain that many health professionals recommend that their patients over the age of 55 use melatonin supplements to prevent them?And even reverse the neurodegenerative process associated with mitochondrial damage caused by the fall of melatonin.
This is an interesting fact that needs to be taken into account
It is very likely that after reading all these benefits associated with melatonin, our first reaction is to go to a pharmacy and buy a bottle, we have to emphasize that this is not recommended. Doctors should recommend the use or not of melatonin, as well as the dose and interval of administration, we should not forget that each person needs a specific dose and that is the only way we can perceive its effectiveness.
Therefore, and before self-medication, it is always in our hands to stimulate melatonin production naturally through simple strategies.
As far as possible, and if our daily obligations permit, it is good to live in harmony with the cycles of light. One mistake most people make is to let their nights be submerged by artificial light from electronic devices, such as computers, tablets, mobile phones. . . All of this affects our pineal gland.
At the same time, it is important that our diet is rich in a very particular type of amino acid: tryptophan, thanks to it we will synthesize adequate amounts of melatonin and also serotonin, these are some of the foods:
To conclude, as we have seen, melatonin is much more than a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle, it is also the molecule of youth, psychological well-being and, in turn, the bridge that unites us to natural rhythms of the life. our planet to live in harmony with it.
An aspect of life that we apparently forget
References:
Lewis, Alan (1999). Melatonin and the biological clock. McGraw Hill
Pierpaoli, Walter (1996) The Miracle of Melatonin. Barcelona: Unrano
Buscemi N, Vandermeer B, Pandya R, Hooton N (2004), Melatonin for the treatment of sleep disorders McGraw Hill
Turek FW, Gillette MU (2004). Melatonin, sleep and circadian rhythms. Lancet