A hormone secreted cyclically by the pineal gland to keep us in sync with the rythm of the day and seasons. One of the best benefits of Melatonin is its ability to help with the effects of jet lag. Oxidation Is one of the reasons we age and Melatonin helps protect the body from free radical damage. Melatonin is also believed to slightly reverse shrinkage of the thymus, enabling it to produce more infection fighting T-cells. Melatonin also enhances antibody production. Some studies have shown that Melatonin taken nightly can boost immune systems compromised by age, drugs or stress, during sleep.
Breast and perhaps prostate cancer, hormone driven cancers, may be involved with a deficiency of Melatonin. When Melatonin is deficient in the body, breast and prostate cancer risk is high.
Melatonin may also be indicated in low-tryptophan diseases, such as anorexia, hypertension, manic depression, Cushing’s disease, schizophrenia, and psoriasis, because tryptophan is the raw material for Melatonin. Melatonin also decreases the size of the prostate gland.(A Melatonin deficiency allows it to grow.) This is good news for males with enlarged prostate. Melatonin is not recommended for persons under 40 years of age unless being used short term. It can lower the sex drive and shrink the gonads if used too much. Melatonin should be used only with close supervision of a Doctor or a specialist in Health care.