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Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland, a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement. A key factor in how human sleep is regulated is exposure to light or to darkness. Exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. When the sun goes down and darkness occurs, the pineal is "turned on" by the SCN and begins to actively produce melatonin, which is released into the blood. Natural melatonin secretion starts from the amino acid tryptophan, with serotonin as an intermediary, and then is released to the melatonin receptors in the brain, eye and other areas to help control the sleep and wake cycles. The melatonin half-life is short, roughly 20 to 50 minutes. It is metabolized (broken down) by the CYP-450 enzyme system in the liver and then excreted in the urine or feces.
This hormone regulates sleep patterns, referred to as our “circadian rhythm. When night falls, melatonin levels rise almost ten-fold, commanding our bodies and mind to wind and eventually shut down in order to rejuvenate. In the daytime, when exposed to sunlight, melatonin levels are then suppressed. Hence, we then feel awake and most alert. The length of melatonin production shifts throughout the year, with shorter daily periods of melatonin production in the summer when days are longer, and longer periods in the winter, when nights are longer. Melatonin production decreases with age, which may contribute to increased sleep problems, as well as to overall aging and vulnerability to disease. Melatonin works on several parts of the brain and body, including the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, which are involved in pubertal development. Melatonin is essential to signaling the relaxation and lower body temperature that help with restful sleep. Levels of melatonin are higher at night, signaling the body that it is time to rest.
Melatonin supplements are often recommended for sleep problems involving sleep cycles, such as jet lag or irregular night shift work. Melatonin supplements are also recommended for sleep disorders due to side effects from beta-blockers (blood pressure medication), from stopping benzodiazepine drugs or from quitting smoking. Melatonin may also be given for insomnia linked to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism in children. Melatonin also may improve the quality of sleep and reduce daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Studies also show melatonin may increase REM sleep. Experiments have shown that at high doses melatonin lowers body temperature, decreases motor activity, and increases fatigue. Melatonin production starts falling after puberty, and it can virtually disappear in the elderly, a phenomenon which could help to explain why sleep disturbances are more prevalent among older adults.