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Melatonin is a natural hormone that is manufactured by a small gland located near in the centre of the brain called the pineal gland. Melatonin performs many functions though some of them are not well understood. However the important function performed by it is that of natural regulation of sleep during the night.
Melatonin is made from an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is categorized as an essential amino acid & we can get it only from the foods that we ingest. The tryptophan consumed during the day is converted into serotonin which is a brain chemical that involved with mood functionality. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin.
Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of many hormones in the body. Among its key roles, melatonin
controls the body's circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour time-keeping system that controls when we fall asleep and when we wake up. Melatonin is also a very powerful antioxidant. According to one study melatonin was 60 times more effective than Vitamin E & C in protecting DNA from damage. Preliminary evidence also suggests that it may help in strengthen the immune system. Melatonin is also believed to play a role in anti aging, as well as helping with jet lag and especially with insomnia.
Melatonin can protect the central nervous system as well as the body generally from free radicals. The antioxidant properties of melatonin can increase the body's own production of another antioxidant, glutathione peroxides.
Because of numerous claims and theories concerning all the things that melatonin may do it has become one of the popular life extension and life enhancing supplements available on the market today.
Melatonin is one of those miracle substances that have a hand in everything. This may be due to the fact that Melatonin was found to be a more powerful and more universal antioxidant than both vitamin C and vitamin E.
Melatonin superficially plays a role in numerous health conditions including Insomnia, Arthritis, Epilepsy, Sunburn, Viral, Encephalitis, Heart Diseases, Osteoporosis, Menopause, Depression, Eating Disorders, Breast, Cancer, Prostate, Cancer, Weight Loss, Sarcoidosis and Rheumatoid.
Melatonin helps in solving common problems of modern life. It has been known to slow down the aging process and SAD related depression. The most important thing about melatonin is that it is not addictive like other drugs. As an antioxidant it helps in eliminating cell damaging free radicals, which can be of help in prevention of development of heart disease and cancer. It has also been found effective in lessening the
damage related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Melatonin helps in boosting your immune system. |
