Melatonin Latest News
Recently, concerns have been raised by doctors about melatonin supplements being taken by a large number of people with no medical supervision.
About Melatonin
- Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone in human beings that controls sleep and wake cycles in our daily lives.Â
- Its levels rise in the evening, helping to promote sleep.
- It is secreted by the pineal gland in the human body.
- Pineal gland releases the most melatonin when there’s darkness and decreases melatonin production when you’re exposed to light.Â
- Melatonin makes us sleepy at certain times of the day. It starts to secrete when our bodies are getting ready to go to sleep and usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to take full effect.
- Its secretion is at its highest in the middle of the night and gradually starts to decrease until we are ready to wake up and start our day.
- Melatonin can also be made synthetically in a lab and sold as a dietary supplement. It’s called exogenous melatonin.
- Those people whose sleep is not optimal and who travel frequently across time zones prefer melatonin supplements.
- Side Effects of Melatonin supplements
- Overuse of melatonin may cause headaches, hormonal changes, or mood swings, disturbing the very rhythm and sleep cycle.
Source: TH
Melatonin FAQs
Q1: What is the primary function of Melatonin in the human body?
Ans: Regulating sleep-wake cycle
Q2: Where is Melatonin produced in the human body?
Ans: Pineal gland
