Quick Melt Melatonin 2.5mg - 120T

Our melatonin levels begin to drop at around age 35-40, gradually declining so that by the time we are in our 70s, our nighttime melatonin levels are often similar to daytime levels.

Doctor’s Best Melatonin provides a supplemental source of melatonin to support the maintenance of sleep patterns that are in sync with both the demands of our daily schedules and the circadian rhythms largely dictated by our biological clock.*

Melatonin may be effective in helping to shift the biological clock’s adjustment to new time zones, e.g. recovery from jet lag, or to adjust to new sleep schedules.*

Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian, Vegan

What is Doctor's Best Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland to regulate sleep in response to light and darkness. The rhythm of melatonin secretion is regulated by the body’s master internal clock, or “biological clock,” a group of nerve cells in the brain’s hypothalamus known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Melatonin type 2 receptors of the SCN receive information from the eyes about the amount of light present in the environment. With darkness, more melatonin is released; eighty percent of melatonin production occurs at night.1

While melatonin is involved in the regulation of several areas of health, including cardiovascular, reproductive, and endocrine functions, its most prominent role is its ability to modulate sleep. Every year, more research is coming to the forefront on this hormone, including accumulating evidence on the effects of its antioxidant activity. Melatonin may soon be commonly known for more than synchronizing sleep with circadian rhythms.

With age, we naturally begin to decrease melatonin synthesis, which can occasionally affect maintenance of healthy sleep patterns. Our melatonin levels begin to drop at around age 35-40, gradually declining so that by the time we are in our 70s, our nighttime melatonin levels are often similar to daytime levels. Doctor's Best Melatonin provides an exogenous (external) source of melatonin to support the maintenance of sleep patterns that are in sync with both the demands of our daily schedules and the circadian rhythms largely dictated by our biological clock.

Because melatonin is naturally produced in response to darkness, individuals confronted with altered sleeping patterns due to shift-work (or other responsibilities that require sleeping during the day) occasionally have trouble maintaining healthy sleep patterns during daylight hours. Research has shown that melatonin can be integral to enhancing quicker adjustment to and maintenance of new sleep schedules over time.2 In a clinical study investigating the sleep patterns of 86 shift-work nurses, the subjects were given either melatonin or a placebo 30 minutes prior to their intended sleep. The results indicated that participants in the melatonin study group fell asleep an average of 16 minutes sooner. This group also displayed significantly increased sleep quality scores as measured by questionnaires completed immediately upon waking.3

Jet lag occurs when the body’s biological clock remains adjusted to the point of departure after extended travel across three or more time zones. As a result, circadian rhythms may be inappropriately phased (not matching the light/dark environment) during the first few days at the destination. Because the biological clock is highly regulated, travelers may have difficulty quickly adjusting to new sleep schedules. Travelers may temporarily experience decreased concentration and motivation in association with increased fatigue and irritability. Research using these types of subjective measurements of jet lag—like impaired concentration and decreased alertness—suggests that melatonin may be effective in helping to shift the biological clock’s adjustment to new time zones after arrival.4 Findings further suggest that melatonin supplementation is not associated with daytime fatigue when taken at night.

REFERENCES

1. Karasek, M. and K. Winczyk, Melatonin in humans. J Physiol Pharmacol, 2006. 57 Suppl 5: p. 19-39.

2. Revell, V.L., et al., Advancing human circadian rhythms with afternoon melatonin and morning intermittent bright light. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006. 91(1): p. 54-9.

3. Sadeghniiat-Haghighi, K., et al., Efficacy and hypnotic effects of melatonin in shift-work nurses: double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. J Circadian Rhythms, 2008. 6: p. 10.

4. Waterhouse, J., et al., Jet lag: trends and coping strategies. Lancet, 2007. 369(9567): p. 1117-29.

WARNING: Not intended for pregnant, lactating, or individuals under the age of 18. If you have a medical condition or taking medications, consult your physician before taking this product. Do not use before or while operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery. Keep out of reach of children.