Sleep enzyme name. Melatonin: the hormone of sleep and longevity. Pineal hormone preparations

It is not always possible to get enough sleep, especially if you have a heavy schedule at school or work. But the body requires rest, and therefore you need to either get enough sleep, or fill the need by other methods. One of these methods is taking melatonin preparations, a hormone that regulates many processes in the body, because the insufficiency of its release greatly affects the functionality of the body. Its main effect is to improve sleep: a person feels more rested, even if he has to not sleep at all.

What is the sleep hormone and what does it do?

Melatonin is a hormone of the pineal gland, the pineal gland. It is produced in the brain during sleep in a specific period of time, which depends on the time zone where you live.

This substance is quite specific: it is responsible for the regulation of many body processes, in particular, circadian rhythms. Daily or circadian rhythms are the alternation of day and night in the body. The human psyche is highly dependent on these changes in metabolism.

Energy exchange processes take place differently at different times of the day, for which many organs and systems are responsible. Melatonin acts as a kind of "conductor" of these processes, regulating metabolic fluctuations. The point of application for it is most often other endocrine glands that regulate other organs and systems. It has a particularly strong influence on the reproductive system and the synthesis of gonadotropins - sex hormones. In addition to day and night, the hormone also "distinguishes" the seasons of the year, so a person feels, on average, more tired in winter than in summer.

Systems affected by melatonin (in decreasing order):

reproductive;
endocrine;
nervous;
cardiovascular;
immune;
musculoskeletal;
digestive.

It was nicknamed the sleep hormone for its main function - the regulation of the rhythm of sleep-wakefulness. This is the "internal clock" of the body, and it depends on the length of the light period of the day. Scientists have proven that in blind people the mode of melatonin secretion does not depend on daylight hours, and their circadian rhythm is shifted to a 25-hour day. But for the sighted, the ability to get enough sleep depends to a large extent on the light period. It can be seen that each individual person needs a certain amount of time to rest: someone gets enough sleep in seven hours, someone is not enough for eight. In winter, you may need to sleep half an hour to an hour longer than in summer to feel rested.

When is melatonin produced?

As already mentioned, its synthesis in the body depends on many factors, but the main one is the daylight hours. The hormone is produced from the amino acid tryptophan during rest during specific hours of the night. People who travel frequently complain of extreme fatigue when changing time zones. This is due to the fact that the body does not have time to adapt to the new night time, and therefore the melatonin produced during sleep is not synthesized to the proper extent. Even if a person gets enough sleep, he will not be able to feel rested without adapting the circadian rhythm.

The production of melatonin is not yet fully understood by modern science. Yet most scientists agree that the main hours of allocation are from midnight to five in the morning local solar time. Synthesis is largely dependent on lighting: it increases in darker environments and decreases in a lit room. This means that for a normal rest, you need not only to sleep during the main hours - from midnight to five, but also to provide your room with strong curtains that will protect you from the light of lanterns, store signs and other light sources. This factor especially affects those who live on the central streets of the city, where the lights of shops look at the apartment from all sides. In this case, even if you sleep the proper amount of time, you will not be able to sleep, chronic fatigue will appear.

Studies of the performance of the pineal gland in bright light

Hormone production decreases with age

The same applies to daytime sleep: if you miss the hours of the greatest activity of the pineal gland - from midnight to five - you will not be able to recover due to daytime rest and your state of health will still be terrible. Such changes are especially noticeable in children, for whom it is very important to adhere to an adequate regimen during the period of intensive body growth.

How to make up for the deficiency?

It is not always possible to adhere to the rest regimen, since work and study require adherence to clear time frames. Lack of sleep must be compensated in other ways.

Since the synthesis comes from the amino acid tryptophan, it makes sense to eat foods containing it in large quantities. It can be:

lactic acid products (cottage cheese, hard cheese);
nuts (almonds, hazelnuts);
legumes (soy);
cereals (oatmeal);
poultry meat.

There are specific products with melatonin that contain it unchanged. It is not known for sure whether it retains all its properties when passing through the intestines, but such food can also help in part:

nuts (almonds);
bananas;
berries (cherries);
some vegetables (carrots, radishes, tomatoes).

Smoking, alcohol, caffeine reduce melatonin synthesis. You need to give up bad habits in order to feel better.

In addition to food, the lack can be filled with pills. The drug in tablets is indicated for violations of the process of falling asleep and for the prevention of violations during a flight to another time zone. Contraindicated in children under 12 years of age, pregnant and lactating women. Tablets for sleep should be taken 1-2 pieces before going to bed. But this is only a temporary help to the body - the drug can not be taken for months and years. To improve health, regimen so as to get enough sleep.

Melatonin is produced in humans both naturally and enters the body with food. This sleep hormone is called the source of youth and longevity. It is necessary for proper life activity, since it not only controls natural biorhythms, but is also a powerful antioxidant that eliminates free radicals.

Why not do without melatonin?

The hormone favors sound sleep, during which the cells of the body are renewed and “repaired”. Melatonin is capable of:

ensure the proper functioning of the endocrine system;
reduce the rate of aging;
help the human body adapt to changing time zones;
support the immune system, preventing the development of serious diseases;
fight free radicals that destroy cell membranes;
reduce the level of nervous excitement during stress and depression;
normalize blood pressure and the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
protect against destruction of brain cells.

With an insufficient amount of this hormone, human aging accelerates, the skin fades, excess fat begins to be deposited, and the risk of oncological diseases, especially breast cancer, increases. Of course, these dangerous phenomena are usually caused by a combination of negative factors, but the lack of sleep hormone increases the risk of their manifestation at times.

Do not confuse melatonin and melanin. The latter is a pigment found in skin cells and protects the body from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Accumulating the hormone melatonin for the future is impossible, so regular quality sleep and good nutrition are important.

Where does the vital hormone come from?

Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland (pineal gland). First, sunlight acts on an amino acid called tryptophan to convert it into serotonin. And then, based on serotonin, a useful hormone is produced at night. But it is not correct to think that melatonin is produced only at night. During daylight hours, this process also goes on, but very slowly. And for health, this amount is clearly not enough.

But not only the pineal gland produces the hormone of health and longevity. Cells and other organs are connected to the production:

digestion;
breathing;
excretory and circulatory systems.

So they are able to synthesize the hormone in the daytime. But the main department - the pineal gland - is able to conduct normal production only during sleep. In this case, certain conditions must be observed. In order to saturate the body with a valuable hormone, a person should sleep only in the dark.

The increase and decrease in the concentration of the hormone depends on the number of light pulses entering the brain through the retina of the organs of vision. This value increases with the onset of darkness. During sleep, the pineal gland synthesizes more than seventy percent of the melatonin necessary for life. It is important that sleep occurs no later than midnight, because from zero to four in the morning is the best period for the activity of the pineal gland to produce melatonin.

For health, an adult requires 30 micrograms of a valuable substance per day. Sleep at night allows you to meet this standard. But if you spend this period awake, or take a nap in the light, then two nights of “dark” sleep will be needed to replenish.

How else can you get a valuable substance?

Additionally, some foods saturate us with the hormone. In its finished form, it is found in tomatoes, parsley, bananas, corn, carrots, figs, raisins, Hercules porridge, rice. But some foods contain the elements necessary for the synthesis of melatonin.

What else should be included in the diet to prolong youth:

The production of melatonin in the human body is reduced not only by exposure to light. Negatively affects the synthesis of smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee, as well as certain drugs, such as paracetamol, beta-blockers, sleeping pills and antidepressants. Night parties with alcohol intake is a sure way to ensure premature aging.

How to increase the level of beneficial hormone?

With an optimal regimen of hundred and rest, a person naturally produces melatonin and protects against the unpleasant symptoms of early old age. What you need to do so that the level of a useful hormone does not decrease:

Go to bed before midnight.
When forced to sleep during the day, for example, after a night shift, close the windows with thick curtains or wear a special mask.
Turn off the TV, computer and other sources of light and noise.
At evening rest, minimize the brightness of the lighting.
When working in shifts, choose the option in three days to allow the body to recover at night. This is especially true for women.
Include foods that stimulate the production of melatonin in your diet.

Blackout curtains on the windows and sleep masks are necessary for residents of the northern regions during the white nights, as well as for those who permanently live in megacities. Bright rays of advertising banners can adversely affect the synthesis of a valuable hormone.

The lack of melatonin in young people is practically not felt, but with age, the regimen must be monitored especially carefully. To improve hormone production after forty, it is worth taking special pharmacological preparations and dietary supplements. It is worth choosing them on the recommendation of a doctor, since such drugs have contraindications. So, they should not be used by pregnant women, allergy sufferers and children.

Such drugs and supplements will support people who are forced to work at night, fly to another country with a change in time zones. They are sometimes recommended as a mild remedy for insomnia and during the polar day in the regions of the Far North.

Sleep hormone - the activity of hormone production begins around 8 pm, and the peak of its concentration, when melatonin is produced in large quantities, falls on the period after midnight to 4 am.

You can’t sleep a few days ahead and stock up on melatonin

Many people have heard of the sleep hormone melatonin. It is also called the hormone of life or longevity. Scientists are still studying the properties of this substance, but its positive impact on the human body and its need for normal life have already been established.

Melatonin appears in the human body:

naturally produced by the body;

comes with some foods;

may come in the form of special drugs and supplements.

Production of melatonin in the body

Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland (pineal gland)

Considering the question of how melatonin is produced, most often its production is associated with the pineal gland or pineal gland. Under the influence of sunlight, the amino acid tryptophan in the body is converted into serotonin, which is already converted into melatonin at night. After its synthesis in the pineal gland, melatonin enters the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Thus, for all these transformations, it is necessary to spend half an hour or an hour daily on the street during daylight hours.

The amount of hormone produced in the pineal gland depends on from time of day: About 70% of all melatonin in the body is produced at night. It is worth mentioning that the production of melatonin in the body also depends on the illumination: with excessive (daylight) illumination, the synthesis of the hormone decreases, and with a decrease in illumination, it increases.

The activity of hormone production begins around 8 pm, and the peak of its concentration, when melatonin is produced in large quantities, falls on the period after midnight to 4 am. Therefore, it is very important to sleep in a dark room during these hours. In the body of an adult, about 30 micrograms of melatonin are synthesized daily.

To increase the level of melatonin produced naturally, you need to follow a few important rules:

try to go to bed before 12 noon;

if there is a need to stay awake after 12 o'clock at night, you should take care of the subdued light;

make sure that there is enough sleep time to restore strength;

before going to bed, turn off all light sources, tightly draw the curtains. If it is impossible to turn off the light, use a sleep mask;

when waking up at night, do not turn on the light, but use a nightlight.

Now scientists have proven that melatonin is produced not only in the human pineal gland. In addition, to ensure vital processes and regulate the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, the amount of melatonin produced in the human brain would not be enough. Therefore, two components of the melatonin production system are considered: the central one - the pineal gland, where the synthesis of the sleep hormone depends on the change of light and darkness, and the peripheral one - the rest of the cells, in which the production of melatonin is not associated with illumination. These cells are distributed throughout the human body: cells of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, cells of the lungs and respiratory tract, cells of the cortical layer of the kidneys, blood cells, etc.

Properties of melatonin

The main function of the hormone melatonin is the regulation of the circadian rhythm of the human body. It is thanks to this hormone that we can fall asleep and sleep soundly.

But with further and careful study of melatonin and its effect on the human body, scientists have found that this substance also has other important and beneficial properties for humans:

ensures the effective functioning of the endocrine system of the body,
slows down the aging process in the body;
helps the body adapt to changing time zones,
stimulates the protective functions of the body's immune system,
has an antioxidant effect;
helps the body fight stress and the manifestation of seasonal depression;
regulates the cardiovascular system and blood pressure,
participates in the work of the digestive system of the body;
affects the production of other hormones in the body;
has a positive effect on human brain cells.

The role of melatonin in the body is enormous. With a lack of melatonin, a person begins to age faster: free radicals accumulate, body weight regulation is disrupted, which leads to obesity, women have an increased risk of early menopause, and an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

It is important to remember that melatonin does not build up in the body; you can’t sleep for a few days ahead and stock up on melatonin. It is important to regularly adhere to the correct sleep and wakefulness regimen and monitor your diet.

Melatonin in food

The hormone melatonin is produced in the body with a varied diet, which must contain carbohydrates, proteins, calcium and vitamin B6. Some foods contain melatonin in its pure form, while others contain the components necessary for its synthesis.

Speaking about what products contain melatonin in its finished form, it is worth mentioning corn, bananas, tomatoes, rice, carrots, radishes, figs, parsley, oatmeal, nuts, barley and raisins.

Amino acid tryptophan found in large quantities in pumpkin, walnuts and almonds, sesame seeds, cheese, lean beef and turkey meat, chicken eggs and milk.

Foods rich in vitamin B6: bananas, walnuts, apricots, beans, sunflower seeds, lentils, red bell peppers.

Large amounts of calcium found in legumes, skimmed and whole milk, nuts, figs, cabbage, rutabaga, soybeans, oatmeal and other healthy foods.

It is worth noting that the production of melatonin in the body stops with the use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, as well as certain drugs: containing caffeine, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, sleeping pills, anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants.

As we age, the amount of sleep hormone produced decreases. This leads to sleep disturbance: nocturnal awakenings, poor sleep, insomnia. If the lack of melatonin in a young body is practically not felt, then after 35 years its lack can affect the well-being of a person. published

Many people have heard of the sleep hormone melatonin. It is also called the hormone of life or longevity.

Scientists are still studying the properties of this substance, but its positive impact on the human body and its need for normal life have already been established.

Melatonin appears in the human body in several ways:

naturally produced by the body
comes with some foodstuffs,
may come in the form of special drugs and supplements.

Production of melatonin in the body

The amount of hormone produced in the pineal gland depends on the time of day: about 70% of all melatonin in the body is produced at night. It is worth mentioning that the production of melatonin in the body also depends on the illumination: with excessive (daylight) illumination, the synthesis of the hormone decreases, and with a decrease in illumination, it increases. The activity of hormone production begins around 8 pm, and the peak of its concentration, when melatonin is produced in large quantities, falls on the period after midnight to 4 am. Therefore, it is very important to sleep in a dark room during these hours. In the body of an adult, about 30 micrograms of melatonin are synthesized daily.

To increase the level of melatonin produced naturally, you need to follow a few important rules:

try to go to bed before 12 noon;
if there is a need to stay awake after 12 o'clock at night, you should take care of the subdued light;
make sure that there is enough sleep time to restore strength;
before going to bed, turn off all light sources, tightly draw the curtains. If it is impossible to turn off the light - use a sleep mask;
when waking up at night, do not turn on the light, but use a nightlight.

Properties of melatonin

The main function of the hormone melatonin is the regulation of the circadian rhythm of the human body. It is thanks to this hormone that we can fall asleep and sleep soundly.

But with further and careful study of melatonin and its effect on the human body, scientists have found that this substance also has other important and beneficial properties for humans:

ensures the effective functioning of the endocrine system of the body,
slows down the aging process in the body,
helps the body adapt to changing time zones,
stimulates the protective functions of the body's immune system,
has an antioxidant effect
helps the body fight stress and the manifestation of seasonal depression,
regulates the cardiovascular system and blood pressure,
participates in the work of the digestive system of the body,
affects the production of other hormones in the body,
has a positive effect on human brain cells.

Melatonin in food

Speaking about what products contain melatonin in its finished form, it is worth mentioning corn, bananas, tomatoes, rice, carrots, radishes, figs, parsley, oatmeal, nuts, barley and raisins.

The amino acid tryptophan is found in large quantities in pumpkin, walnuts and almonds, sesame seeds, cheese, lean beef and turkey meat, chicken eggs and milk.

Vitamin B6 is rich in foods: bananas, walnuts, apricots, beans, sunflower seeds, lentils, red bell peppers.

A large amount of calcium is found in legumes, skimmed and whole milk, nuts, figs, cabbage, rutabaga, soy, oatmeal and other healthy foods.

Melatonin preparations

Various drugs are produced, including melatonin in tablets or capsules. Before taking such drugs, you should consult with your doctor to find out about the dosage, possible effect, contraindications for use, etc.

In America, melatonin preparations are available as a dietary supplement. In Russia, the following drugs are available in pharmacies or sports nutrition stores: Melaxen, Melaton, Melapur, Circadin, Yukalin, Melatonin.

Melatonin: contraindications for use

Like any drug or dietary supplement, melatonin preparations have a number of contraindications for use:

pregnancy and lactation (no studies on how melatonin affects the development of the fetus and child),
severe forms of allergies and autoimmune diseases (possibly aggravation of the condition),
oncological diseases: lymphoma and leukemia,
age up to 18 years (in the body of children and adolescents, melatonin is produced in sufficient quantities),
also a contraindication is hypersensitivity to melatonin, although this happens quite rarely.

Melatonin side effects

Melatonin is a low-toxic substance. Studies have been conducted in which it was found that even in large doses it does not harm human health.

The advantage of the drug is that it very rarely causes side effects, but still the following possible reactions are sometimes revealed: headache, nausea, morning drowsiness, diarrhea. Allergic reactions or swelling are also possible. If you discuss all the details with your doctor before using the drug, all these consequences can be avoided. All side effects stop after the drug is discontinued.

When considering the positive and negative properties of the drug Melatonin, its harm is estimated to be much lower than the benefits it can bring.

We want to fall asleep from time to time. Melatonin is released cyclically to help the body regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Its amount decreases with age, and it is suspected that this is the reason why young people are less likely to suffer from sleep problems than the elderly.

What is the benefit of melatonin?

Studies show that low doses of melatonin help improve sleep, and it is easy to survive long plane flights, jet lag, and without the side effects that are common with sleeping pills. It also helps improve overall health, strengthens the immune system, and rapidly reduces free radicals in body tissues.

There are many scientific studies on melatonin currently underway. They are associated with its antioxidant properties, effects on immunity. However, the exact mechanism of action of melatonin in the human body is not yet known in detail, and requires a number of further studies.

Who benefits the most?

These are, first of all, travelers who are struggling with the consequences of jet lag, as well as people suffering from insomnia.
The optimal dose varies individually. According to various studies, good results have been achieved with melatonin in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 200 mg! Controlled medical studies have concluded that even a tenth of a milligram (0.1 mg or 100 mcg) helps you fall asleep easily at any time of the day. Thus, start with a very low dose of melatonin taken at night before bed (eg 0.1 mg) and increase this dose every night until the desired effect is achieved.

What are mg (milligram) and mcg (microgram), and what is the difference between these units?

Micrograms and milligrams are units of weight representing a specific fraction of a gram:

1 microgram = 1 microgram = one millionth of a gram (1/1000000);
1 mg = 1 milligram = one thousandth of a gram (1/1000);
1 mg = 1000 mcg.

The 1.5mg tablet contains five times the dose of melatonin compared to the 300mcg (0.3mg) tablet.

Side effects

According to studies, 10% of people who take melatonin do not get any effect from it. Another 10% reported side effects such as nightmares, headaches, increased morning fatigue, mild depression, and decreased sex drive. In other studies, in which doses of melatonin 600 to 3000 times higher than normal were used, no signs of intoxication were found.

Additional effects

In animal studies, melatonin has been shown to have a cytoprotective effect, strengthen the immune system, and slow down the growth of certain tumors. Experiments on mice have shown that melatonin can slow down the aging process. However, to what extent these results can be extrapolated to humans is still unclear. Some experts are concerned that so many people are experimenting with such a powerful substance, as the long-term effects of taking high doses of melatonin are still undetermined. Even a dose of less than one milligram, which is presented by many manufacturers as the lowest possible dose, is still three times more than the total amount of total melatonin produced in the body in a day.

Contraindications

Due to the fact that the effect of high doses of melatonin on unborn children and infants has not yet been clearly established, it should not be taken by pregnant and lactating women. Since this hormone stimulates the immune system, it is not recommended for people prone to allergies and suffering from autoimmune diseases. Children should also avoid high doses of melatonin because their bodies already produce this hormone in high doses on their own. High doses may have a contraceptive effect, so women who want to have children should not take melatonin preparations.

Life Extension

Currently, there are no studies proving a direct relationship between melatonin intake and human life expectancy. However, in rats and mice, the lifespan can be increased by 20%. If the use of this hormone does lead to a longer and healthier life, then this is most likely due to:
1. Reducing the amount of free radicals in the body, which stimulate the aging of the immune system;
2. Protective effect on the cardiovascular system
3. Increased secretion of growth hormone.

Melatonin deficiency as a cause of early aging - video

Melatonin improves sex life?

This hypothesis has not yet been confirmed in humans. A rodent study from as early as 1995, however, suggests that frequent small amounts of melatonin can prevent age-related decline in testosterone production in men, and thus help maintain an active sex life well into old age.

Can melatonin poison you?

Melatonin is one of the least toxic substances. In carefully controlled medical studies, doses of melatonin as high as 6 grams (600 to 3,000 times the usual dose) have not resulted in any symptoms of poisoning. Overall, there are only four known cases of significant side effects of melatonin in the world. Minor, but more common side effects are drowsiness and a decrease in reaction rate. The largest study on side effects was conducted in the Netherlands. It involved 1400 women who received 75 mg of the drug per day. None developed any serious side effects. Now in this country, melatonin is available in pharmacies without a prescription and, despite this, there have been no reports of its abnormal action.

What time to take?

Melatonin should only be taken in the evening, about 30 minutes before bed. To avoid the consequences of changing time zones, it is taken right before the plane takes off. The drug should not be taken during the day - otherwise, you can simply bring down your "internal clock".

Does melatonin cause lethargy and drowsiness in the morning?

No, you will wake up in the morning after taking melatonin refreshed and full of energy. But if there is still a feeling of fatigue in the morning, the evening dose of melatonin should be adjusted downward.

Hormone production methods

Natural, animal or bovine melatonin is produced by extracting extracts from animal pineal glands. Since these extracts are extracted from tissues that are foreign to the body, it can trigger an immune response in humans. In this regard, such drugs are recommended to be used very carefully.

The best is considered to be a drug made in a factory from pharmaceutically pure ingredients. The molecular structure of such melatonin is identical to that of a hormone produced by the body itself. In addition, it is absolutely free from any contamination.