is a natural molecule made by the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. We produce this natural substance abundantly during our early years, but levels decline steadily as we age. Interest in Melatonin is based on years of solid research that supports its important role in the body. Studies show that Melatonin combats insomnia by regulating the circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle). Additionally, the benefits include its role as a powerful antioxidant, capable of relieving jet lag, used as a treatment for prostate enlargement, a combatant of cancers, and a positive influence on our hormonal, immune and nervous systems which extends ones life span.
Key Benefits
Potent Anti-Oxidant
Promote natural sleeping
Improve your overall mood
Reset body clock from jet lag
Support healthy immune system function
Maintain proper function of your pineal gland
Melatonin is made from an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, that is, the body cannot make it; we need to get it through the foods we eat. Tryptophan is found in a wide variety of foods. As we consume tryptophan during the day, the body converts it into serotonin, an important brain chemical involved with mood. Serotonin, in turn, is converted into Melatonin . This conversion occurs most efficiently at night. Melatonin helps to set and control the internal clock that governs the natural rhythms of the body. Each night the pineal gland produces melatonin which helps us fall asleep. Research about this molecule has been going on since it was discovered in 1958, but it has only been in the last few years that there has been such attention paid to melatonin. Close to a thousand articles about melatonin were published worldwide in 1994.
One reason for this growing interest is that we are realizing that deep sleep is not the only byproduct of melatonin. We are learning that it has a significant influence on our hormonal, immune, and nervous systems. Research is accumulating about melatonin’s role as a powerful antioxidant, its possible anti-aging benefits, and its dream-enhancing properties. It is an effective tool to prevent or cure jet lag, an ideal substance to reset the biological clock in shift workers, and a great supplement for those who have insomnia. Melatonin also may have roles to play in the treatment of prostate enlargement, as an addition to cancer treatment, in lowering cholesterol levels, in influencing reproduction, and more. A delightful bonus is that melatonin can influence lifespan.
A few pineal gland researchers have started to take melatonin for its potential health benefits. Russel Reiter, a neuroendocrinologist and foremost pineal gland researcher, is quoted in Vogue magazine, February 1995, "I've been taking it for years for jet lag. When we made the discovery about its antioxidant potential, I started taking it regularly." (He takes about 1 mg nightly.) We don't know for certain the long-term, positive or negative, effects of melatonin use in humans then again we hardly know for certain the long-term effects of many common medicines or supplements, including aspirin and vitamins..
size: 3mg sublingual x 240 tabs brand:LIFELINK
