Swanson

Melatonin

• Synchronizes biological rhythms and cycles
• Normalizes the work of the biological clock
• Helps to shorten the time needed to fall asleep
• Facilitates falling asleep and takes care about calm sleep
• Helps to fight sleep disorders of different etiologies
• Provides antioxidant protection

SWANSON Melatonin is a dietary supplement containing 500 mcg of melatonin in 1 capsule. The preparation supports the control of daily rhythm, facilitates falling asleep, counteracts sleep disorders and demonstrates protective and antioxidant functions.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, i.e. odd neuroendocrine gland, which is located in the wall of the third brain ventricle. Melatonin is secreted in daily rhythm – high level during the night and low level during the day. Its synthesis is dependent mainly on lightning conditions of the environment. Melatonin is responsible for synchronizing many physiological processes and moreover it demonstrates antioxidant properties, supporting immunity and having protective effect on the digestive tract.

Mechanism of melatonin’s activity
Melatonin is an amphiphilic molecule, therefore it shows pleiotropic effect and has the ability to cross biological barriers – it easily permeates to bodily fluids, tissues and cell ranges. Such a quality allows melatonin to cause effects by many different mechanisms, i.a. by binding with nuclear and membrane receptors and cytosol proteins and stabilizing of mitochondrial membrane.

Melatonin biosynthesis
Mainly circadian oscillator is responsible for the paramount biological clock, which is located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Its electric activity (high during the day and low during the night) is synchronized with external lightning conditions, which in the form of information reach it through retinal-hypothalamic pathway.

Melatonin production takes place mainly during the night. Its highest level is observed around 3-4 a.m., while during the day it is low (especially among people with low physical activity). In humans, the amplitude of melatonin rhythm is high and is classified to the group of the most pronounced hormonal rhythms.

Melatonin level in various periods of life
Melatonin plays a very important role in the life of a human. This hormone has the ability to cross placental barrier, thanks to which it may take part in synchronizing biological clock of a fetus. The highest melatonin values are observed around the age of 3-6 and next its concentration gradually lowers, by as much as 80% up to the period of pubescence. At the age of 35-40, the level of melatonin is stabilized and after the age of 40 it decreases. Above the age of 70 the highest reduction of melatonin rhythm amplitude has been proven, especially in geriatric patients dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, it has been proven that melatonin synthesis disorders deepen along with the development of neuropathological changes and insufficient lightning in the room, in which elderly people spend the majority of time.

Melatonin as free radical sweeper
It has been proven that melatonin has relatively strong antioxidant properties, thanks to which it may work as extra- and intracellular sweeper of free radicals. It was observed that melatonin both directly and indirectly may take part in activating superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and in deactivation of reactive forms of oxygen and nitrogen. Moreover, melatonin is attributed the function of stimulating glutathione production, which as the basic intracellular antioxidant plays a crucial role in transporting electrons of mitochondrial respiratory chain. It is suspected that melatonin may demonstrate higher antioxidant effectiveness than other natural compounds exhibiting this function, e.g. ascorbic acid or tocopherols.

Melatonin in the disorders of circadian rhythm
Basic disorders of the circadian rhythm, which appear mainly in the form of improper sleep are related among others to changing time zones, shift work, the syndrome of late or premature falling asleep and also they are connected to the organism’s aging. Desynchronizing of biological clock influences deregulation of many physiological processes, which in turn may be the cause of increased frequency of cancers, obesity or diabetes type 2.

The lack of light signal responsible for synchronizing endogenous clock influences the occurrence of slow-running rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, which is demonstrates mainly in the form of afternoon naps. The application of melatonin is such a case helps to rectify daily rhythm.

Summing up, SWANSON Melatonin is a dietary supplement which supports normalization of many rhythms (including the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness) and constitutes a signal to “open the gates of sleep”. The preparation helps to stabilize disorders among others resulting from darkness, shift work, frequent transcontinental flights and also in case of sleep disorders in geriatric patients and blind people.