WHAT
IS MELATONIN
| DHEA | Melatonin | MSM | Misc. Health Information |
Newsweek,
"Melatonin", G. Cowley, August 7, 1995."It's the hot sleeping pill, natural and cheap. Now
scientists say this hormone could
reset the body's aging clock, turning back the ravages of time. ...Studies point to many
possible uses. The drug may help ease insomnia, combat jet lag, prevent
pregnancy (in large doses), protect cells from free-radical damage, boost the
immune system, prevent cancer, and extend life. ...No one knows just how neatly
any of these [animal studies] will apply to people. But together they suggest
that melatonin could help us prevent, and even treat, the most common afflictions of old
age.
Where cancer is concerned, the evidence isn't limited to mouse studies. Autopsy
studies suggest that pineal calcification (a condition that hardens the gland)
is most common in countries with high rates of breast cancer and least common in
countries where breast cancer is rare. ...Melatonin may also prove useful for
fighting existing malignancies."
"Studies
suggest that low-dose supplements can hasten sleep and ease jet lag, without the
hazards or side effects of prescription sleeping pills." Melatonin may have
many other uses and has been reported to make people feel better,
strengthen the immune system, and reduce free radicals in the body.
Current research is underway to determine melatonin's effect as an anti-oxidant,
immno-modulator in cancer, delayed sleep-phase disorders, and jet lag. Tests are
still under way so there is much to still be learned about melatonin and its
effects on the human body." (See other excerpts in
Newsweek: Melatonin. by Geoffrey Cowley August 7, 1995 p46.
Abstract:
Recent research indicates that melatonin boosts the immune system, slows the
growth of cataracts and tumors, prevents heart disease, and slows cell decay.
The pill is inexpensive and is already becoming popular for its ability to treat
insomnia and stress.
Melatonin
Melatonin
is the most effective antioxidant yet studied
because it easily penetrates cell membranes (especially in the brain) to
provide protection against free radicals throughout all our cells.
Melatonin crosses the blood-brain barrier very effectively. It appears to
protect the central nervous system against injury, disease, and aging
better than any other substance. Melatonin is used to induce drowsiness
and improve sleep patterns. More and more doctors are recommending
Melatonin as a safe and effective insomnia therapy instead of dangerous
FDA-approved drugs such as Halcion, Xanax, and Valium. European doctors
are prescribing Melatonin in doses of 10 to 50 mg a night to treat cancer
because of strong evidence that Melatonin can prevent many forms of
cancer, especially breast cancer. It is widely
believed that Melatonin is the single most
effective anti-aging therapy in the world. It has been
shown, in thousands of published studies, to
protect against almost every disease associated with aging including
cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, age-associated immune impairment,
and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as against aging itself.
Melatonin has been shown to be completely safe in humans in doses of up to
1,000 mg daily. The most common side effect of taking too much Melatonin
is feeling drowsy when you wake up, which can be prevented by taking less
Melatonin the next night. Favorable
reports on Melatonin have been featured in almost every news and magazine
program in America, including cover stories in NEWSWEEK magazine and USA
Today, and feature stories on ABC's 20/20, Cautions: Some doctors
recommend that women with ovarian cancer not take Melatonin. It is not yet
clear whether Melatonin is beneficial or harmful for women with ovarian
cancer. Melatonin may relieve many forms of depression.
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