General Capabilities
More than 50 years ago, Aaron Lerner, a dermatologist
from Yale University, discovered melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine) in
the pineal gland.
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the brain in
humans. Scientists believe that it controls circadian rhythms of sleep and
wakefulness. Nighttime darkness causes increased production of melatonin,
promoting sleep and causing a decrease in body temperature. Both elderly and
depressed patients tend to have lower baseline levels of melatonin. Laboratory
studies suggest that melatonin is a potent antioxidant that stimulates some
aspects of the immune system. Melatonin also inhibits the growth of certain
cancer cells including breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma when it
is directly applied to these cells in laboratory and animals’ studies. When
used at the same time as specific chemotherapy drugs, melatonin may increase
survival time.
So, now, 50 years after its discovery, it is used as one
of the most effective and most harmless natural hormone to improve numerous
medical conditions. For example, numerous studies have established melatonin as
one of the most effective anti-cancer treatments in existence. It inhibits
cancer cell growth and proliferation; it destroys cancer cells, stops
angiogenesis (new tumor blood vessel growth), and prevents harmful forms of
estrogen from stimulating cancer cell growth. Despite its success in clinical
trials and in doctors' experiences with their patients, it has not been widely
prescribed in conventional medicine, though its effects have proven to be
superior to those of many chemotherapeutic drugs.
In one clinical trial, patients with glioblastoma, a type
of brain cancer, were given either radiation and melatonin, or radiation alone.
Twenty-three percent of the patients who took the melatonin were alive after a
year, while none who had received only radiation were still alive. Similarly,
in another study by oncologists in Italy, patients with non-small cell lung
cancers who had failed chemotherapy were given melatonin. They were compared
with other patients with non-small cell lung cancers who weren't given
melatonin. A year later, 26 percent of the patients who had taken melatonin
were still alive; whereas, none in the non-melatonin group remained alive.
Studies have also revealed melatonin to be more effective
for treating pancreatic and lung cancers than a drug commonly used to treat
these types of cancers. What's more, this drug may cost more than $4,000 per
month, while twenty milligrams of melatonin cost approximately $11 per month.
Melatonin functions to destroy cancer in multiple ways.
First, because it is toxic to cancer cells, it induces apoptosis, or cancer
cell auto-destruction, as well as directly kills cancer cells. It also slows
tumor growth through a variety of mechanisms, such as by inhibiting epidermal
growth factor receptors on cancer cells. Epidermal growth factors play an
important role in cancer cell growth and proliferation, so blocking their
receptors on cancer cells prevents them from carrying out these roles.
Melatonin also stimulates the immune system and increases
the cancer-killing activity of macrophages, monocytes, natural killer cells,
T-helper cells and eosinophils, all of which are involved in cancer cell
destruction.
Additionally, melatonin inhibits angiogenesis (new tumor
blood vessel creation) from existing blood vessels. Tumors get their nutrition
through blood vessels, and as they grow, they require an increasingly greater
supply of blood vessels to feed themselves. Preventing new blood vessel growth
limits their food intake and causes them to shrink or stop growing.
Melatonin has properties which enable it to block the
effects of estrogen upon cancer cells; this is important because certain forms
of estrogen stimulate the growth of hormonally-influenced cancers, such as
breast, endometrial, ovarian and uterine cancers.
Finally, as an antioxidant, melatonin reduces
inflammation, a condition that enables cancer's survival, and it scavenges free
radicals so that they don't damage normal cells and make them vulnerable to
further genetic mutations.
Despite these favorable statistics, melatonin is seldom
recommended to patients in conventional medicine because the laws which govern
the practice of medicine are drastically influenced by pharmaceutical
interests, which prevent doctors from recommending it to their patients in lieu
of expensive, damaging chemotherapy drugs. It is, however, an effective natural
treatment that not only helps to prevent cancer, but which also plays an
integral role in healing the body from it.
Melatonin and
Pancreatic Cancer
In one of the recent studies, it was discovered that
melatonin significantly reduces pancreatic tumor cell viability by altering
mitochondrial physiology. Furthermore, advanced pancreatic cancer patients have
abnormal circadian fluctuations in melatonin levels, which should be corrected
by melatonin supplementation because even low (physiologically normal)
concentrations of melatonin have a pro-apoptotic effect on pancreatic cancer
cells resulting in tumor cell death.
A clinical-study of melatonin plus immunotherapy in the treatment
of fifty advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients resulted in a
significantly higher 1-year survival rate in the melatonin treated group than
other groups tested (3/12 vs 1/38), suggesting that melatonin immunotherapy is
a promising treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.
A phase II study of melatonin plus tamoxifen in
metastatic solid tumor patients was performed. Included in the study were five
pancreatic cancer patients, for whom no other standard therapy was available.
Melatonin (20 mg at night) and tamoxifen (20 mg at noon) were given orally
every day. Results indicated that the combination of melatonin plus tamoxifen
may have some benefit in untreatable metastatic solid tumor patients.
In another clinical study in which melatonin plus
low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) was used to treat pancreatic cancer patients with
a life expectancy of less than 6 months, a complete response was achieved in
one pancreatic cancer patient, and a partial response in three others. Immunotherapy
with melatonin and IL-2 was a well-tolerated and effective therapy for almost
all advanced cancer patients with solid tumors, including those who did not
respond to IL-2 alone or to chemotherapy.
Other Benefits
In addition to the positive impact for sleep disorders,
shift work, jet lag, and cancer prevention / containment, melatonin has shown
to be effective for the following medical conditions:
Headaches: Tentative evidence shows melatonin may help reduce some types of
headaches including cluster headaches.
Alzheimer’s: In a double-blind
trial, supplementation with melatonin significantly improved cognitive function
and sleep quality, compared with a placebo, in patients with Alzheimer's
disease.
Gallstones: Melatonin presence in the gallbladder has many protective
properties, such as converting cholesterol to bile, preventing oxidative
stress, and increasing the mobility of gallstones from the gallbladder.
Hypertension: For people with
nighttime hypertension, supplementing with melatonin may reduce nighttime
systolic blood pressure.
Protection from radiation: Both animal and human studies have
shown melatonin to protect against radiation-induced cellular damage. Melatonin
and its metabolites protect organisms from oxidative stress by scavenging
reactive oxygen species which are generated during exposure. Nearly 70% of
biological damage caused by ionizing radiation is estimated to be attributable
to the creation of free radicals, especially the hydroxyl radical that attacks
DNA, proteins, and cellular membranes. Melatonin has been described as a
broadly protective, readily available, and orally self-administered antioxidant
that is without major known side effects.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Melatonin
helps regulate gastrointestinal function and sensation. In one trial, people
with irritable bowel syndrome who took melatonin experienced significantly less
severe abdominal pain.
Tinnitus: Tentative evidence of benefit exists for treating tinnitus.
Reducing Anxiety Prior to Surgery: Melatonin seems to help reduce anxiety before
surgery. In fact, it may be as effective as midazolam, the conventional
medication prescribed by doctors. It has notably lesser side effects compared
to the conventional medication although it is not always effective due to
unclear reasons.
Melatonin-positive
Lifestyle
Two common environmental "noise" factors that
can make sleep elusive are light pollution and temperature. The following
suggestions can improve your sleep hygiene and help you optimize your melatonin
production:
ü
Avoid watching TV or using your computer in the
evening, at least an hour or so before going to bed. These devices emit blue
light, which tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime. Normally your
brain starts secreting melatonin between 9 and 10 pm, and these devices emit
light that may stifle that process.
ü
Make sure you get BRIGHT sun exposure regularly.
Your pineal gland produces melatonin roughly in approximation to the contrast
of bright sun exposure in the day and complete darkness at night. If you are in
darkness all day long, it can't appreciate he difference and will not optimize
your melatonin production.
ü
Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as
possible. Even the slightest bit of light in your bedroom can disrupt your
biological clock and your pineal gland's melatonin production. Even the tiniest
glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep, so cover your
radio up at night or get rid of it altogether. Move all electrical devices at
least three feet away from your bed. You may want to cover your windows with
drapes or blackout shades.
ü
Install a low-wattage yellow, orange or red
light bulb if you need a source of light for navigation at night. Light in
these bandwidths does not shut down melatonin production in the way that white
and blue bandwidth light does. Salt lamps are handy for this purpose.
ü
Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher
than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes too warm (particularly their
upstairs bedrooms). Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is
between 60 to 68 degrees.
ü
Take a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before
bedtime. This increases your core body temperature, and when you get out of the
bath it abruptly drops, signaling your body that you are ready to sleep.
ü
Avoid using loud alarm clocks. Being jolted
awake each morning can be very stressful. If you are regularly getting enough
sleep, you might not even need an alarm.
ü
Get some sun in the morning, if possible. Your
circadian system needs bright light to reset itself. Ten to 15 minutes of
morning sunlight will send a strong message to your internal clock that day has
arrived, making it less likely to be confused by weaker light signals during
the night. More sunlight exposure is required as you age.
ü
Be mindful of electromagnetic fields in your
bedroom. EMFs can disrupt your pineal gland and its melatonin production, and
may have other negative biological effects as well. A gauss meter is required
if you want to measure EMF levels in various areas of your home.
Sources of
Melatonin
Melatonin is present in all living organisms, including
microalgae (green algae), bacteria, fungi, plants, small crustaceans (certain
prawns and crayfish), fish, animals, and humans. Natural sources of melatonin,
not standardized to provide a defined concentration, and with possible
contaminants, also include medicinal plants such as feverfew (Tanacetum
parthenium), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), and huang-qin (Scutellaria
baicalensis),sometimes reaching levels of several nanograms per gram and
possibly contributing to the therapeutic efficacy of the respective herbs.
High melatonin concentrations are found in seeds and some
fruits such as tart cherries, bananas, and tomatoes. Melatonin also is found in
food sources such as oats, rice bran, sweet corn, wheatgrass juice, and ginger.
It has been shown that dietary melatonin (from plant sources) directly elevates
the circulating level of melatonin in the body, as does smoking marijuana.
The building blocks for natural melatonin production in
the body include sufficient amounts of vitamin B6, vitamin B3 (niacinamide),
and most important, the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in high
quantities in foods such as nuts (soy, almonds, and peanuts,), seeds (pumpkin
and watermelon), spirulina, beans, and tofu.
Supplements
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to increase your
melatonin naturally as described above, they you can consider a supplement, but
it would still be wise to continue the listed suggestions.
In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to help
people fall asleep faster and stay asleep, experience less restlessness, and
prevent daytime fatigue. Keep in mind that only a very small dose is required —
typically 0.25mg or 0.5mg to start with, and you can adjust it up from there.
Taking higher doses, such as 3 mg, can sometimes make you more wakeful instead
of sleepier, so adjust your dose carefully.
“High dose” of 20 mg per day may be used in cancer
management programs. Some practitioners recommend starting at a low dose (0.3
mg) and increase the dose over 1-4 weeks to 20 mg to minimize side effects
(vivid dreams and/or drowsiness).
Availability
Surprisingly, the legal status of the melatonin, the
natural substance with no side effects, is different in various countries.
Melatonin is unscheduled in the United States. This means
it is legal to buy, possess, and distribute (sell, trade or give). If sold as a
supplement, sales must conform to U.S. supplement laws. You can buy it as OTC
supplement in most stores or online.
However, it has been officially banned in countries like,
Canada and other European nations for sale over the counter. While, in Canada
is still available in most stores in spite the official ban, it might be
challenging to find it in some European countries. Here is a list
of countries where you will not find over the counter sales of melatonin supplements: Australia, Greece, Finland, New Zealand, Norway,
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Belgium, South
Africa, Iceland, and France.
Sources and
Additional Information:
