What is Melatonin, melatonin (N-Acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a natural mammalian hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland in which it locates in brain and synthesized from serotonin. Melatonin was discovered by Dr Lerner at Yale University in 1958. It is made from tryptophan, an essential amino acid that cannot be made by the body. We have to consume foods contain tryptophan to get tryptophane. Tryptophane is converted by the body into serotonin, furthermore, is converted into melatonin. It also plays an important role in the process of human sleep.

Melatonin is one of factors helps us to fall a sleep and circulates in peak amounts while we sleep, also plays major role in the regenerative process. At the time the pineal gland releases melatonin, it quickly goes into the local bloodstream and then to the rest of the body's blood circulation. From there, melatonin finds its way to every body fluid and tissue. When melatonin enters the cells, it has the further ability to go directly to the DNA then making us sleepy. We need enough time to sleep to rejuvenation our body; melatonin also helps regulate our sleep cycle.

The produce of melatonin reaches in high peak when we are young, some have claimed that melatonin acts as a gauge age, when we get older melatonin decreases its produce into low level, causes aging process due to less of regenerative process. There are some suggesting to increase melatonin level such as have enough time for sleep , consumption food that contains tryptophan which is found in a variety of high protein foods such as milk, cheese, meat, fish, and some fruits banana, tomato and other fruits and vegetables, taking melatonin supplements is recommended by some experts.

The dosage of melatonin supplements that suggested by some experts is about 0.1mg – 10 mg. It can be use for sleep problem, sleep improvement for healthy people, delayed sleep phase syndrome, insomnia, jet lag and other used as an antioxidant, ADHD ( anti deficit hyperactivity disorder) treatment, headache and other conditions. Some doctors suggests melatonin treatments for cancer, anti aging hormone and delaying of menopause process.

According that melatonin causes slow down the aging process, be sure contact a doctor and ask some advices before taking any melatonin supplement. Some side effects are found such as nightmares, daytime drowsiness, depression and disruption of normal sleep cycle if taken that supplements at wrong time.

The original article with the same author at www.helium.com

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