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SISU
Melatonin 5 mg90 tablets
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Scientific Background
The human body is governed by a sort of clock inside the brain that tells the body to secrete various hormones at different times of the day to regulate various body functions. This internal clock is called our “circadian rhythm.” One of the hormones that keeps our circadian rhythm functioning normally is melatonin. Manufactured in the pineal gland (a very small gland at the base of the brain), melatonin is released when it’s dark and suppressed when it’s light. Not surprisingly, then, it is the hormone that controls sleepiness and wakefulness. Melatonin has been extensively studied for its role as a supplement to help people overcome sleep problems triggered by many different causes. Melatonin may be very useful to people who work night shifts, as well as people who travel across time zones and suffer from jet lag, because it may help them to “reset” their internal clocks. It may be useful to older people, whose melatonin levels are often low and who often suffer from insomnia. It may be helpful to people with a wide range of neurological and developmental disorders, which sometimes affect quality and duration of sleep. It is safe for children, making it a relief for parents whose children have chronic difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. How it HelpsJet Lag and Night-Shift WorkersSleep deprivation can make it difficult to perform normal daily tasks well. Disruption of the circadian rhythm due to jet lag or night-shift work can cause sleep deprivation. Several studies have demonstrated that taking melatonin to help induce sleep at times when the body is not ready for sleep — such as during the day time or after traveling across time zones — can help improve performance after waking. In a study of 27 US Air Force reservists who traveled eastbound across seven time zones, melatonin helped subjects perform a series of demanding tasks better despite jet lag. This was not true of prescription drugs, which improved sleep but tended to have a “hangover” effect on performance the next day. Another study suggested that the best way to use melatonin for jet lag is to take a single dose in the evening for five days after arrival at the destination. Several studies have examined the benefits for night-shift workers, and found that melatonin can improve the quality of day-time sleep. Other Reasons for Sleep Problems Other people who may have sleep problems include blind people, whose inability to perceive light and dark may interfere with their internal clocks; children and adults with mental retardation, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease; older people, whose melatonin levels are often low; seriously ill patients in hospital; individuals with severe clinical depression; and individuals with fibromyalgia. Studies have shown that people in all of these groups can experience benefits from taking melatonin that include reducing the length of time it takes to get to sleep, extending the length of time one stays asleep, and reducing the number of times one wakes during the night. One study showed melatonin to be so effective that 34 out of 50 people who had been taking the powerful sleeping pill benzodiazepine were able to discontinue the drug by taking melatonin instead. Children with Sleep Problems Melatonin is so safe that its usefulness in children with sleep problems has been studied extensively. It has been found to be so effective that many children with chronic sleep problems have been able to establish healthy sleep patterns within 12 to 18 months after beginning to take it. Other Important Points about Melatonin • Melatonin is manufactured from another brain hormone, serotonin. Low serotonin levels, and therefore melatonin levels, may be caused by low B12 levels. In some people, mild sleep problems can be alleviated with regular B12 supplements. • Individuals with clinical depression sometimes have low melatonin levels. Depression is sometimes associated with difficulty sleeping. However, while melatonin supplements can be a sleep aid, they do not necessarily remedy depression. If you are experiencing chronic depression, please see a physician. • Some studies have shown melatonin to have anti-tumour activity in cancer patients, while others suggest that melatonin may alleviate adverse effects associated with some chemotherapies and enhance its benefits. • Melatonin should only be taken at bedtime, whatever time of day that is for you. It should not be taken before doing work that requires close attention. Suggested Use: For insomnia, dissolve one tablet beneath the tongue daily at bedtime. For jet lag, one tablet daily at bedtime three days before the flight and for three to five days after arrival.
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