Do You Take Melatonin? Trash it.
Do you take melatonin to go to sleep? You’re not alone.
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50-70 million Americans sleep poorly.
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Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle — it basically tells our body “it’s time for bed.” It helps regulate body temperature, blood pressure and hormone levels to prepare for sleep. It binds to receptors in the body that help you relax.
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It’s well-known for being an antioxidant too.
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In my last post, I talked a lot about tryptophan. We know that tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, but did you know that serotonin is precursor to melatonin?
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Just because something is “good” for us, doesn’t mean we should supplement it. IMO, there are a few issues with supplementing melatonin:
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⤵️Melatonin is a HORMONE, not an herb or a mineral or a vitamin. Supplementing melatonin can actually downregulate (decrease) our body’s own natural production so we end up making less over time.
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🔗It’s naturally made from serotonin, which is made from tryptophan. When we skip steps in the production chain with supplements, we can end up with an excess of tryptophan and serotonin.
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🧸Melatonin is a HIBERNATION hormone. Supplementing can slow down our metabolism and create undue stress in the body.
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📛Supplements chelate precious, energy-giving copper and act as a pro-oxidant, instead of an antioxidant.
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Melatonin supplements might help some people fall asleep a whopping 6 minutes faster, but they haven’t actually been shown to improve sleep quality.
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There are many things that can lower our natural melatonin levels, like:
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🔘Blue light exposure
◽Shift work
☁️Not getting enough sunlight during the day
💥Stress
🚬Smoking
◾Etc
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Instead of leaning on supplements that may have long-term impacts, why not create good HABITS that support our overall sleep health? Some quick tips:
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☀️Get 15-20 minutes of sun per day
🚨Replace LEDs with red lights
📴Start turning off lights after sundown
👓Wear blue light-blocking glasses after sundown
💆Create a bedtime routine that relaxes you
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Johnson, K. (2019). Melatonin: Magic Potion or Unregulated Danger? Retrieved from: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/922202.
Peat, R. (2012). Serotonin, depression, and aggression: The problem of brain energy. Retrieved from: https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/serotonin-depression-aggression.shtml.
Peuhkuri, K. Sihvola, N. Korpela, R. (2012). Dietary factors and fluctuating levels of melatonin. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402070/.
Raman, R. (2017). How Melatonin Can Help You Sleep and Feel Better. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/melatonin-and-sleep#section5.
Stephenson, Shawn. 027: Shawn Stevenson – Optimize Your Sleep | Don’t Underestimate Walking | Blue-Light Blocking. Retrieved from: https://ultimatehealthpodcast.com/shawn-stevenson/.
Wang, J. Wang, X. He, Y. Jia, L. Yang, C.S. Reiter, R.J. Zhang, J. (2019). Antioxidant and Pro-Oxidant Activities of Melatonin in the Presence of Copper and Polyphenols In Vitro and In Vivo Jiajia. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6721667/.
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