Articles tagged with Melatonin
A Dutch observational study examined melatonin use and its association with sleep patterns in school-age children. The results suggest a significant correlation between melatonin intake and improved sleep quality.
A study led by Michigan Medicine has revealed the presence of naturally occurring DMT in mammalian brains, sparking interest in its role within human brains. The discovery was made possible by detecting DMT in brain neurons using techniques such as in situ hybridization.
The study reveals that both melatonin receptors contain narrow channels allowing melatonin to pass through, blocking serotonin. This knowledge enables the design of safer and more effective drugs to target specific receptors, such as MT1, which has been challenging to develop.
Researchers have developed 3D models of the two melatonin receptors, MT1 and MT2, which will help design drugs that interact only with these receptors, reducing side effects. The findings could lead to new treatments for sleep disorders, diabetes, cancers, and other health issues affected by melatonin.
New research reveals that melatonin's antiarrhythmic benefits are distinct from its antioxidant properties. In a rat model of heart attacks, melatonin treatment reduced incidence of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, but this effect was not associated with oxidative stress.
A prospective study found that pregnant women working two or more night shifts in one week had a 32% higher risk of miscarriage the following week. The association between night work and miscarriage was strongest after week eight of pregnancy.
A KAIST research team found that blue-enriched white light exposure improves melatonin levels and subjective perception of alertness, mood, and visual comfort compared to warm white light. This study proposes a new approach to indoor lighting strategies, benefiting residential areas, learning environments, and working spaces.
A new study published in The Journal of Physiology found that exercising at 7 am or between 1 and 4 pm advances the body clock to an earlier time, while exercising between 7 and 10 pm delays it. This research has implications for counteracting jet lag and shift work.
Researchers propose guidelines for the therapeutic use of melatonin to address potential health risks, citing over 23,000 published studies. The guidelines aim to provide a systematic framework for analyzing melatonin's effects and role in human physiology and pathophysiology.
A Finnish study found a link between a gene variation and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly, particularly those with job-related exhaustion in shift workers. The research suggests that genetic predisposition combined with lifestyle disruptions can increase Alzheimer's risk.
A new study reveals that supplement use among children has doubled since 2003, with adolescents using alternative medicines to treat health conditions or side effects of prescription medications. The prevalence of supplement use varies by gender, reflecting other health issues such as depression and insomnia.
A study found that evening use of light-emitting tablets can delay desired bedtimes, suppress melatonin secretion, and impair next-morning alertness. Healthy adults who used tablets before bed reported later sleep onset and rated themselves as less sleepy the next morning.
Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered how melatonin suppresses neurons in the brain that keep you awake and alert. This finding could lead to new therapies for insomnia by targeting the MT1 receptor.
A new study found that intermittent bright light exposure at night can cause significant phase shifts in the body's internal clock, but not necessarily melatonin suppression. This challenges the common assumption that one can be used as a proxy measure for the other.
Research reveals that preschoolers' production of sleep-promoting hormone melatonin is suppressed for at least 50 minutes after exposure to bright light. This finding highlights the potential risks of electronic use in young children's sleep and circadian rhythms.
Research suggests that melatonin treatments can improve sleep quality, physical health, and mental well-being in older adults. Melatonin deficiency is associated with decreased circadian system robustness and increased risks of age-related diseases.
A recent study published in Journal of Pineal Research found that melatonin can prevent nerve damage caused by chemotherapy and reduce painful side effects. The drug was shown to limit the damaging effect on nerve cells and the development of pain symptoms when given prior to chemotherapy.
Researchers found melatonin boosts immune response against cancer cells, inhibits growth and protects healthy cells from chemotherapy effects. Timing of melatonin treatments is crucial for their anticancer effects due to its role in regulating circadian rhythms.
Research suggests that night shift work impairs the body's ability to repair DNA damage caused by normal cellular processes. Suppression of melatonin, a hormone regulating the internal clock, is thought to be a key factor in this impairment. This may result in higher levels of DNA damage and potentially carcinogenic effects.
Researchers found that exposure to blue light before competition can improve endurance during a cycling time trial, especially in the final spurt. This effect was observed even if bright light had no impact on overall performance.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that melatonin can protect the small intestine of rats from radiotherapy-induced toxicity. Melatonin reduced intestinal cell death and inflammation, facilitating intestinal recovery. This suggests oral treatment with melatonin may help prevent radiotherapy-induced gut toxicity in cancer patients.
Researchers discovered that melatonin regulates VEGF production in the pituitary gland, controlling blood vessel growth and hormone release for seasonal fertility. This mechanism enables animals to adapt to changing environments and has implications for farming and human medicine.
A recent study found that melatonin content in dietary supplements often differs significantly from the labeled amount, with some products containing up to 83% less or 478% more than declared. This variability raises concerns about the safety and efficacy of these products.
Research found that exposure to natural light for as little as a weekend camping trip can shift the circadian rhythm and potentially deliver health benefits, including improved sleep and reduced seasonal depression. The study suggests that architectural design can incorporate tunable lighting to enhance performance and well-being.
Research suggests that exposure to insecticides like carbamates can disrupt melatonin receptor signaling, leading to a higher risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The study highlights the need to assess environmental chemicals for their ability to disrupt circadian activity.
Finnish researchers found that a melatonin receptor gene influences shift workers' ability to adapt to disrupted daily rhythms. A common variation in the MTNR1A gene is linked to job-related exhaustion experienced by shift workers.
Researchers found that midshipman fish rely on a light-driven internal clock and the hormone melatonin to determine when to sing. The study shows that melatonin acts directly on the vocal circuitry in the midshipman's brain, causing them to hum at night.
Researchers at Michigan State University discovered melatonin suppresses breast cancer tumor growth, providing proof for the link between sleep deprivation and increased risk. The study showed that melatonin treatment significantly decreased mammosphere size when combined with estrogen or BPA.
Melatonin production in plants is involved in stress memory, particularly through its regulation of sub-cellular antioxidant systems. The study found that exogenous melatonin application enhances drought priming induced cold tolerance in barley, making it a promising approach to abiotic stress tolerance.
Researchers found that tiny lipid bubbles packed with melatonin can make tamoxifen stronger and help kill cancer cells. The treatment reduces the need for higher doses of tamoxifen, minimizing severe side effects.
Daily melatonin administration significantly reduced blood pressure in elderly subjects, with the most pronounced effect occurring between 3:00 and 8:00 am. Melatonin also synchronized disrupted circadian rhythms of blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature, providing a new approach to hypertension treatment.
A new experimental and clinical study from Lund University shows that the sleep hormone melatonin impairs insulin secretion in people with a specific gene variant. The researchers found that carriers of this gene have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with impaired insulin secretion and increased glucose levels in their blood.
A study published in Cell Metabolism found that a genetic variant of the melatonin receptor gene, MTNR1B, may predispose individuals to type 2 diabetes by increasing sensitivity to insulin-inhibiting effects of melatonin. This increased sensitivity can lead to lower insulin secretion and higher blood sugar levels.
A new IU study reveals that short winter days trigger aggression hormones differently in female hamsters compared to males. Melatonin acts directly on the adrenal glands in females to trigger a 'seasonal aggression switch', while in males, it works through the pituitary gland.
Researchers found that people with a common genetic variant in MTNR1B may be more at risk for developing type 2 diabetes when taking melatonin close to mealtimes. The study suggests that genetics can impact blood sugar control, highlighting the need for caution when taking melatonin near meal times.
Research reveals plummeting melatonin levels in spring and summer may trigger multiple sclerosis relapses. Melatonin treatment restored T cell balance and improved clinical symptoms in a mouse model of the disease.
A study published in Cell suggests that melatonin levels correlate with MS symptom severity, particularly during the fall and winter months. Researchers found that melatonin has a protective effect on immune cells, dampening the immune response and reducing disease progression.
A new study found that taking a gadget to bed can suppress melatonin production and disrupt sleep patterns in children aged 9-15, especially those in early puberty. The study also found that brighter screen lights have a greater impact on sleep, with 500 lux being the most effective at suppressing melatonin.
Researchers have localized the seasonal light cycle effects that drive SAD to a small region in the mid-brain called the dorsal raphe nucleus. The study found that serotonergic neurons fire faster in mice exposed to summer-like light cycles, leading to increased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine.
Researchers found that melatonin significantly improved sleep quality, reduced awakenings, and increased REM sleep compared to using earplugs and eye masks. Melatonin's effectiveness was attributed to its ability to boost brain activity, reduce anxiety, and promote cognitive restoration.
Researchers found that zebrafish larvae with a mutation unable to produce melatonin slept half as long as normal fish. When the mutation was 'cured' by killing pineal gland cells, the fish returned to a normal sleep pattern. The study suggests naturally occurring melatonin plays an important role in regulating sleep.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide warn against giving melatonin to children to treat sleep problems, citing lack of rigorous safety studies and potential interactions with other medications. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates circadian rhythms in adults but its use for children's sleep is unregulated in the US.
Researchers found that reading an e-book before bed can lead to reduced melatonin secretion, delayed circadian rhythms, and decreased morning alertness. The use of light-emitting electronic devices can suppress melatonin levels, impacting sleep quality and duration.
Researchers found that reading from light-emitting e-readers before bed suppresses melatonin release and shifts the circadian clock, leading to longer sleep latency and reduced REM sleep. Exposure to short-wavelength-enriched blue light disrupts natural sleep patterns.
Researchers found that the hormone melatonin governs the nightly migration of a plankton species and may have evolved early in animal history. The study suggests that melatonin's role in controlling daily rhythms could be linked to the evolution of human sleep patterns.
A randomized controlled trial found that melatonin supplementation had no effect on reducing delirium in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. The study suggests that melatonin may not be effective in preventing postoperative delirium, and further research is needed to compare its effects with antipsychotics.
A new study by Tulane University reveals that exposure to light at night can render breast cancer cells resistant to tamoxifen. In contrast, complete darkness and high melatonin levels significantly slow tumor growth and enhance tamoxifen's effectiveness.
Research suggests that dim light exposure at night can suppress melatonin production in rats with human breast tumors, making them resistant to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. However, giving these rats a melatonin supplement during the night restored their tumor sensitivity to the drug.
The study found that melatonin treatment reduced decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins and enzymes in rats with traumatic brain injury, indicating a protective effect on cerebral cortex and blood toxicity. Melatonin also inhibited free radical formation and supported the antioxidant vitamin redox system.
Researchers found that light pollution disrupts the reproductive cycle of mouse lemurs, causing testes to grow larger and testosterone levels to increase. The study also showed that light pollution affects the daily activity pattern of lemurs, delaying their nocturnal behavior.
Researchers at McGill University discovered that melatonin supplements increase bone volume and density in elderly rats, making them stronger. This finding suggests that melatonin may be a useful tool in combating osteoporosis.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that melatonin may inhibit tumor growth and cell production, as well as block the formation of new blood vessels in ER-negative breast cancer models. The results suggest that melatonin has the potential as a therapeutic agent for breast cancer.
A study of Icelandic men found that higher melatonin levels were associated with a 75% reduced risk for developing advanced prostate cancer. Men who reported sleep problems had lower melatonin levels, suggesting the importance of maintaining a stable sleep-wake cycle.
The study found that melatonin receptor 1 expression is significantly reduced in the caudal spinal nucleus, leading to an attenuated regulatory effect on pain. This breakthrough discovery has implications for understanding pain transmission and developing new treatments.
A new CU-Boulder study found that toddlers who go to bed later than their melatonin increase have difficulty settling down at night. Toddlers with longer intervals between melatonin release and bedtime take longer to fall asleep and experience increased bedtime resistance.
Melatonin consumption helps regulate body weight control by stimulating the appearance of 'beige fat', a type of fat cell that burns calories. Chronic melatonin administration also heightens thermogenic effect of exercise and exposure to cold.
A week of camping exposed people to true dawn and dusk, synchronizing their internal biological clocks. This shift helped people revert to an early bird's schedule, with a typical modern environment causing a two-hour delay in circadian timing.
A CU-Boulder study found that spending just one week in natural light while camping synchronizes the circadian clocks of participants with the timing of sunrise and sunset. Exposure to electrical lighting has disrupted our internal clocks, but natural light helps restore synchronization.
Researchers found that melatonin pre-treatment increased cell survival of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after transplantation into laboratory animals with stroke damage. The pre-treated MSCs showed enhanced survival under oxidative stimulation, reducing infarct volume and improving neurobehavioral outcomes.
A Mayo Clinic study suggests that dimming smartphone brightness and holding devices at least 14 inches from the face can reduce light exposure's impact on melatonin levels, leading to better sleep. The research found that only high brightness settings posed a risk to sleep, while mid or low settings were safe.