What is melatonin?Melatonin is a hormone, also known as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine and is a naturally occurring compound found in humans, animals, microbes and plants. In animals and humans, melatonin levels vary during the daily cycle. It is closely involved in regulating the sleeping and waking cycles. It is sometimes prescribed by doctors for patients with sleep problems. However, in some cases it is not suitable.
In fact, a Spanish study concluded that melatonin is better than other people to sleep medication Melatonin is an antioxidant. Among the mammals, melatonin is secreted into the body by the pineal gland from the amino acid tryptophan. It is also known as the "hormone of darkness" because it is excreted in the dark. High levels of melatonin in humans usually occur at bedtime. A study in the University of Granada, Spain demonstrated that melatonin helps in controlling weight gain, even if the patient eat less. It was found to improve blood lipid profile by reducing triglycerides, HDL cholesterol Rasing (good cholesterol) and lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Japanese research shows that giving melatonin to women trying to get pregnant with IVF (in vitro fertilization) helps to improve the quality of the egg and doubles the chances of IVF success. Poor egg quality is a major cause of female infertility. According to the Medi Lexicon Medical Dictionary, Melatonin is: "A substance is formed by the mammalian pineal gland, which seems to gonadal function suppression in mammals and causes contraction of amphibian melanophores, a precursor to serotonin, melatonin is rapidly metabolized and is taken up by all tissues, is involved in circadian rhythms ... " |