Melatonin: Beyond Sleep

Even though melatonin is often thought of as a "sleep aid," it has many actions in the body that support immunity, regulate inflammation, and combat oxidative stress.

Although a significant amount of melatonin is produced in the brain's pineal gland, quite a bit is produced throughout the gastrointestinal tract. But beyond the brain and gut, melatonin is found just about everywhere in the body, including the skin, thyroid, and reproductive organs.

Many factors can affect melatonin production, including overexposure to light at night, especially blue light, night shift work, jet lag, stress, diet, medications, lifestyle, illness, and genetics.

Some melatonin can be found in foods, especially plant-based foods. However, individualized supplementation may be indicated for melatonin repletion.

Go Deeper with a Free Optimal DX Account

CLICK HERE for a deeper dive into Melatonin as the ODX research team presents some intriguing facts about this multipurpose molecule from an excellent article in the journal Nutrients authored by Dr. Deanna Minich entitled “Is Melatonin the "Next Vitamin D"?: A Review of Emerging Science, Clinical Uses, Safety, and Dietary Supplements.” (Minich 2022)

CLICK HERE to listen to Optimal the Podcast with Deanna Minich

References

Minich, Deanna M et al. “Is Melatonin the "Next Vitamin D"?: A Review of Emerging Science, Clinical Uses, Safety, and Dietary Supplements.” Nutrients vol. 14,19 3934. 22 Sep. 2022, doi:10.3390/nu14193934 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).