Melatonin: Nature's Sleeping Pill. - book reviews

Nutrition Health Review, Fall, 1995

In one experiment, a high rate of ovarian cancer occurred among young female mice that received the hormone. Sahelian also note the presence of tryptamine, a hallucinogenic compound, in melatonin, while Reiter mentions that smoking marijuana dramatically stimulates melatonin production in the body. Neither has much else to say about these somewhat unsettling associations other than to observe that melatonin can cause "vivid dreams."

Judging by the amount of evidence accumulating in its favor, it may not b premature to join the melatonin bandwagon. Scientists conducting experiments to find the "lethal dose" level for melatonin "couldn't make a rich enough concentrate to kill a mouse." However, the more wary might wonder: Just because mice don't die from taking melatonin, does that mean other, more subtle pernicious effects will not take place as a result of long-term usage by human beings?

For those who decide they would like to see more research done before they start gobbling down melatonin supplements, Dr. Reiter does recommend lifestyle measures that might raise melatonin levels naturally. These include increasing exposure to light during the day, turning off bright lights at night, eating snacks (if desired) at bedtime that are rich in melatonin (such as oats, sweet corn, rice, tomatoes and bananas), meditating, eliminating smoking, and drinking only in moderation.

"Pregnant women or those who are considering pregnancy should definitely avoid the use of melatonin until more is known. High doses of melatonin were given to adult female rats a month before mating and throughout the whole pregnancy. The fetuses' growth was inhibited and the ovarian weight of the daughters was reduced ...

"Melatonin is known to go through the breast milk and thus will pass to the baby. It's possible that high levels of melatonin reaching a baby may lead to sleepiness and lethargy.

"Those who are prone to epilepsy should stay away from melatonin. There have been conflicting reports in the scientific literature as to whether melatonin induces convulsions... or reduces them ...

"Since melatonin improves and stimulates the immune system, it could possibly have detrimental effects in conditions [such as lupus or leukemia] where the immune system is already out of control ...

"What about taking melatonin concurrently with other medicines? No formal clinical research is available on this issue. It is probably best at this point not to initiate melatonin use if you're already regularly using other medicines until we know more . .