Popularly known as the sleep hormone, melatonin is a substance produced by the pineal gland, a structure that is the size of an orange seed and is located in the central region of the brain. Among its most well-known functions, improvement in sleep quality is the one that stands out.
Can be called as a hormone at night, its production occurs at the end of the day, when the light begins to decrease, preparing the body and its physiological functions for the night.
Melatonin functions for the body
According to the nutrologist Fabrício Brito, specialist in nutrology, aesthetic medicine, preventive health and hormonal modulation, despite its reputation for its action in regulating sleep, this hormone influences various physiological processes of our body. Here are some of your actions:
Sleep regulation
Having an increase in the production of this hormone from sundown, it prepares the body for rest, peaking around 23h and 3h in the morning. After these peaks occur, melatonin levels decrease rapidly, preparing the body to wake up, reaching its minimum values between 8am and 9am in the morning, maintaining them throughout the day.
Time Zone Symptom Prevention
As the nutrologist reveals, melatonin supplementation may be a good solution to minimize or prevent the effects of jet lag, which is very common on long journeys and as a result of changing time zones.
Read also: 8 reasons for you to wake up at 5 am
Antioxidant function
Fulfilling the role of antioxidant, melatonin fights free radicals by acting on the recovery of epithelial cells exposed to ultraviolet radiation, stress, pollution and other toxic substances.
It acts on the immune system
"There is research that reveals the action of this hormone in the immune system, helping to prevent diseases such as cancer or conferring benefits in the treatment of migraines, autism, premature aging, depression, Alzheimer's and diabetes," says the doctor.
With recent discoveries, this hormone has functions beyond treatment for a better sleep, being able to act on different diseases, generating benefits to the body.
What factors influence melatonin production?
According to Fabrício, to ensure better effect of its production and action, whether this hormone synthesized by the body itself or in the form of supplement some care is needed. "Eliminating sources of light, sound, heat or aroma is important to not accelerate the body and prevent sleep from settling," he teaches. Check out other factors that may influence your production:
Light sources
Because melatonin production is closely linked to light exposure, it is important to avoid overexposure at night, especially the blue light on electronic equipment screens. ? Currently there are applications that filter this light on phones, computers and tablets, avoiding interference in the regulation of this hormone ?, suggests.
Read also: 10 reasons for naked sleep you probably didn't know
Age
The nutrologist explains that the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland varies significantly with age. With the onset of its secretion around the 4th month of life, its secretion capacity increases rapidly, reaching a peak between the ages of 1 and 3 years. After this period, its production has a slight decrease, remaining so throughout adulthood.
From aging, this production begins to decline. To make it easier to understand, just compare a 70-year-old to a teenager: the former will have 75% lower melatonin levels than the latter. "The reason for this fall is the progressive calcification of the pineal gland, which is losing the ability to secrete this hormone," explains the professional.
Medication use
There are some medicines that can work by inhibiting the natural production of melatonin, such as propranolol, a drug widely used to treat hypertension and heart problems. Another factor that highlights the importance of medical monitoring at all times.
Blindness
"Visually impaired patients who cannot detect the presence of light have a high chance of producing this unregulated hormone," says the doctor.These still have the severity of their disability related to increased sleep disorders.
Among other precautions to facilitate the secretion and performance of melatonin, Fabrício suggests the ingestion of light meals, besides avoiding drinks with caffeine or alcohol, as these also interfere with the action of this hormone.
Read also: 8 Natural Alternatives That Help You Sleep Faster
When should I supplement melatonin?
The first recommendation is to seek medical advice. "It is necessary to carry out a medical evaluation, with a well done history, raised the above factors, in addition to analyzing the patient's lifestyle, including sleep cycle, night work, travel, etc.", advises the nutrologist.
Among the indications for melatonin supplementation, the professional highlights its action on migraine, where the use of melatonin can solve the problem. "Another indication would be its use in cancer treatments, enhancing patient immunity and aiding in the destruction of tumor cells," he adds.
In addition to these indications, supplementation still has beneficial action in the treatment of autistic children, favoring a regulation of their sleep and directly influencing their behavior.
Sale prohibited in Brazil
Despite being used worldwide as a supplement, in the form of tablets, capsules, drops or nasal spray, in Brazil the commercialization of industrialized formulas is prohibited. "Only in 2017 its marketing was released in our country, but in a restricted way: only with formulas handled in duly licensed pharmacies, with their form of administration and the time of use depending on the prescription," explains Fabrício.
After the medical visit, if there is indication of this hormone, simply take the prescription to a handling pharmacy, and have their doses administered as directed by the doctor in charge.
Read also: Serotonin: the substance of well-being and happiness
Does melatonin lose weight?
The nutrologist reports that there are recent studies that indicate the positive action of melatonin to aid weight loss. "It acts as a regulator of energy balance steps, which include food intake, energy flow and energy storage and expenditure." This action would inhibit the formation of new fat cells, but further studies are needed to prove this relationship.
With more and more studies seeking to clarify the different actions of this hormone in our body, it is currently possible to say that its action goes far beyond the regulation of sleep. Possessing natural production, its supplementation must be medical indication, along with specialized monitoring.
The Science of Sleep: Melatonin to Neural Pathways (May 2024)
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