Melatonin supplements are being recommended to people grappling with various sleep disorders. These disorders include and are not restricted to insomnia, delayed sleep phase disorders, sleep problems pertaining to shift work, jet lag, and so forth. Melatonin supplements give off safe results when used on a short-term basis. However, research is still underway to ascertain its long-term safety. In what follows below, we’ll help you take a look at what is melatonin, the nature, and impact of melatonin, and how melatonin supplements are helping people overcome their sleep-related disorders and problems.
Melatonin Supplements: Time to Know More
Researchers have performed several tests and conducted many studies on how melatonin supplementation handles different types of sleep disorders. Dr. Todd Watts from Microbe Formulas teaches that melatonin boosts the function and actions of the immune system, giving it a leg up in fighting off intestinal parasites and other invasive pathogens. It’s important to understand the usefulness of these products, the right quantity to be consumed, long and short-term safety, and timing of use.
What do you Mean by Melatonin?
Melatonin, a naturally produced hormone, has a very significant role to play in inducing sleep in humans. The production and secretion of melatonin are dependent on the time of the day; it increases after dark and falls during the morning hours. Its production is blocked off by the night light. These days, there’s an increase in the popularity of dietary supplements containing melatonin. These supplements are being used for correcting sleep-related disorders attributed to jet lag, insomnia, disturbances in the internal clock of the body, and the issues of working night shifts. In addition, the use of melatonin is also being assessed for dementia symptoms.
Effectiveness of Melatonin
To Prevent Sleep Disorders
Those feeling the pressures of jet lag and long travel hours across different time zones often face serious sleep disorders. The issues connected with jet lag can be taken care of by using melatonin supplements. Another area of application of melatonin lies in the treatment of delayed sleep phase disorders. In this type of sleep-related problem, the body’s biological clock is disrupted wherein the sleep-wake timing cycle gets lagged by a few hours. Melatonin based supplements are also used in case of certain sleep disorders in kids. It has also been found that sleep disorder brings about changes in the wake and sleep times of blind people. There are mixed reports regarding the effect of melatonin on those suffering from insomnia. In some cases, it has been shown that use of melatonin reduces the overall time taken to fall asleep.
Melatonin Supplements for Tackling other Conditions
There’s not enough research to help users understand the application of melatonin for other conditions. However, there are some evidence of how adding this hormone to cancer care has succeeded in bringing about improvements in quality of life, survival rates, and the response time of cancer patients.
In respect to the handling of other conditions, there are research results based on clinical trials that show that melatonin may be helpful in improving upon mild cognitive impairments in case of people diagnosed for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition, some studies show that melatonin can prevent cell damages linked with ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The addition of sustained-release melatonin, which is different from fast-release melatonin, is known to reduce increased nighttime blood pressure during the process of managing high blood pressure issues.
Improving the Sleep Habits of Children
Worldwide, plenty of research studies have been conducted to decipher how to improve upon the sleeping habits of adults and children alike. Sleep-related problems are the most common issues encountered by parents with respect to the health management of their children. Having a set bedtime routine, with fixed wake and sleep hours, are among the simple steps taken by parents to make a difference to the sleeping patterns of their kids. The other ways of going about the act lie in avoiding drinks or food with caffeine and cutting down their screen time.
Research Studies on the Side Effects and safety of Melatonin
As per recent research and study reports, melatonin is considered to be safe for short-term usage. However, the fact that melatonin is safe for extended use or not, remains to be seen. In other words, it’s still not clear whether melatonin supplements can be used for long-term purposes or avoided. As per the results of a specific study, researchers have found that supplements containing melatonin are capable of worsening the mood of dementia patients. Melatonin may lead to some uncommon side effects like headache, dizziness, drowsiness. or nausea. So far, no evident side effects of melatonin have been noted in children.
Points to Consider Before Starting Melatonin Supplements
At the very onset, if a loved one or you are suffering from any sleep-related issues, then it’s important to make an appointment with your health care providers. They may prescribe a melatonin supplement that’s important for affecting the biological clock of users. Remember, though dietary supplements like melatonin are regulated by the FDA, the applicable rules are quite different and less stringent than the ones applicable to over-the-counter or prescription drugs.
It’s important to take expert recommendation before starting on melatonin and other dietary supplements. This is essential because some dietary supplements are prone to posing risks in case the patient is about to undergo a surgery or is on any type of medication. As most dietary supplements are yet to be tested on nursing mothers, pregnant women, or kids, it’s very important to consult a health care provider prior to taking any type of medication or dietary supplement, such as those including melatonin.
Way Forward
In order to use dietary supplements like melatonin safely, it’s necessary to read the label instruction and follow them thoroughly. It’s equally important to consult health care providers and share information about any integrative or complementary health approach in use.
