Melatonin has demonstrated remarkable geroprotective and anti-aging actions in experimental models, specifically by reversing hallmarks of aging such as mitochondrial dysfunction, genomic instability, telomere attrition, disabled macroautophagy and chronic inflammation.
These effects may be achieved through various mechanisms. One study demonstrated how melatonin reverses aging by protecting mitochondria from degrading.
1. It Helps You Sleep Better
Melatonin is best-known for its role in maintaining circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles, yet recent research demonstrates its anti-ageing benefits in humans and animals alike. Melatonin has been shown to increase human growth hormone, reduce mitochondrial damage and slow the aging process in the brain. Melatonin is an endogenous hormone produced in your pineal gland – the small gland in the center of your brain – as part of its natural functions. The pineal gland produces several neurochemicals and hormones that impact human health and body functions, with melatonin being its signature product. For humans, it plays a significant role in helping synchronize various circadian rhythms to the day-night cycle; studies have demonstrated this. Without its full functioning gland, or having it surgically removed (pinealectomy), many suffer from severe circadian rhythm disorders that interfere with sleep.
Melatonin supplements can improve sleep quality by increasing levels of the molecule in both your bloodstream and brain cells, helping with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and jet lag while possibly decreasing oxidative stress in your brain. But to ensure you receive an accurate dosage recommendation it’s essential that you work closely with a healthcare provider in determining what dosage would work for you.
Melatonin has also been demonstrated to reverse early signs of aging in Greater White-toothed Shrew, an insectivorous mammal native to eastern North America and Europe. A team from Laboratoire Arago in Banyuls-sur-Mer (CNRS / University Pierre and Marie Curie) discovered that treating with melatonin may delay this animal’s aging process.
Researchers have also demonstrated that melatonin can protect against neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases by slowing aging neurons and shielding them from free radical damage. Melatonin’s ability to scavenge free radicals and protect cells has been observed both in vitro and animal studies; specifically it has proven particularly successful at lowering malondialdehyde levels which is used as an indicator of oxidative damage caused by head trauma.
2. It Helps You Burn Fat
Melatonin is an all-natural hormone that not only aids sleep, but it has many additional uses as well. One such use is its potential to help you lose and keep off weight. Melatonin’s effectiveness lies in regulating circadian rhythms – essential in metabolic processes such as food intake regulation, energy expenditure and thermoregulation – and may prevent obesity by decreasing fat mass, production levels, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, plus providing powerful antioxidant protection from oxidative stress and keeping cells healthy.
Studies have demonstrated that melatonin can effectively combat rodent aging by increasing mitochondrial numbers in cells. Melatonin appears to do this by inhibiting the repression of scavenging enzymes and stimulating expression of antioxidant proteins within mitochondria, leading to an increase in mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), allowing more electrons into their matrix for efficient metabolism and more energetic metabolism.
Melatonin has also been shown to improve metabolic parameters in obese mice and reverse the negative effects of sleep restriction on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in humans. Melatonin may regulate these physiological markers by acting on both the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to suppress wake-up signals and facilitate sleep, and on oxytocin receptors in the hypothalamus to curb feeding behavior; additionally it boosts pancreatic secretion of glucagons to promote gluconeogenesis while decreasing glycolysis.
Sleep restriction can have severe health repercussions. It has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity; and may impair your body’s ability to regulate its temperature effectively for maintaining health and fitness. Therefore, it’s crucial that you get enough rest each night by limiting blue light exposure at night – this disrupts natural melatonin production which is essential in order to preserve overall wellbeing.
Research has demonstrated that melatonin can alleviate some symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related diseases by helping with sleep disturbances. Furthermore, it has been shown to combat oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase via sirtuin 3 regulation – these effects can even be seen within the brain itself, protecting against damage and neurodegeneration.
3. It Helps You Reverse Aging
Melatonin has long been used to regulate sleep-wake cycles, yet recent research is exploring its possible pro-aging properties. Melatonin is an antioxidant which acts on cells to reduce oxidative stress levels resulting in graceful aging.
Pineal gland melatonin plays an especially essential role in maintaining circadian rhythms. Triggered by darkness, this special form of melatonin serves as a signal to keep all aspects of our circadian clock synchronized throughout the day. If this crucial supply is interrupted it could have detrimental consequences for sleep quality and biological aging.
Melatonin can have more benefits than its anti-aging effects on the brain alone. For example, it boosts human growth hormone (HGH), an essential cellular repair agent. Furthermore, it protects mitochondria – the cell’s “energy machines” damaged by oxidative stress which increases risks associated with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and muscle weakness – from further damage by mitigating oxidative stress in humans while increasing lifespan and health span in mice.
Researchers have recently uncovered several mechanisms by which melatonin can slow the aging process. Melatonin promotes GSH and superoxide dismutase activity – natural antioxidant enzymes which combat oxidative stress and free radicals; furthermore it inhibits ECM degradation through autophagy which contributes to maintaining a healthy cellular environment.
4. It Helps You Protect Your Brain
Melatonin is well-known as a potent antioxidant. As such, it can protect the brain against oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Melatonin also protects heart health by blocking receptors responsible for building up arterial plaque as well as by supporting healthy cholesterol levels and helping prevent arterial blockages. Furthermore, studies have also demonstrated its efficacy against asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain syndromes and even certain forms of cancer.
Melatonin has long been recognized for its ability to reduce oxidative stress and enhance quality of life among those suffering from neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and hereditary neuropathy. One study demonstrated how it significantly improved sleep while simultaneously decreasing oxidative stress. Melatonin also helped produce anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-4 and IL-10 while suppressing proinflammatory mechanisms like NF-B signaling, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and TLR4 signaling.
Melatonin may help reverse aging by increasing levels of its natural metabolites that protect cells against oxidative damage and stimulate new neuron formation or slow existing ones from disintegrating over time. More research needs to be completed before this claim can be verified, however.
Melatonin can be an invaluable antioxidant that can slow the aging process, but its use must be prescribed and dosed appropriately to avoid side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, headaches and diarrhea. Furthermore, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised against using it, while antiepilepsy drugs or blood thinners could interact negatively with its use.
Overall, it’s best to avoid or use melatonin under the guidance of a healthcare provider. If you’re suffering from insomnia, explore cognitive-behavioral therapy or lifestyle modifications before resorting to supplements containing melatonin. If supplementing with it anyway, make sure that it’s taken only in dark environments; artificial lights at night could interfere with its effects and disrupt your body’s ability to produce its own natural melatonin production.
