Melatonin


 * Melatonin**


 * WARNING:** These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

Also called 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine, melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland used to regulate the circadian clock through vasodialation resulting in the fall of the core temperature (Forbes-Robertson, Dudley, Vadgama, Cook, Drawer, & Kilduff, 2012). Supplementation of this hormone may help regulate sleep disturbances related with insomnia, jet lag, depression, chronic kidney disease, and various neurological disabilities (Ackermann, Plomp, Lao,Middleton, Revell, Skene, & Kayser, 2013). Melatonin is NSF certified for sport supplementation (Totoro, 2017). Studies have shown that melatonin may have potential use in the treatment of athletes with jet lag (Samuels, 2012) by promoting adaptation (Forbes-Robertson, et al., 2012) and in resistance trained athletes to promote their recovery and production ( Leonardo-Mendonca, Martinez-Nicolas, de Teresa Galvan, Ocana-Wilhelmi, Rusanova, Guerra-Hernandez, & Acuna-Castroviejo, 2015).
 * DEFINITITION:**

Melatonin can be acquired through supplements - administered orally or intravenously, or through food.
 * SOURCES:**
 * Supplements:** The most common ways to ingest this supplement is by oral and sublingual tablets, orally dissolving tablets, soft chews, capsules, teas, lozenges, and oral spray delivery systems. Taken orally, melatonin changes to 6-sulfaoxymelatonin, producing a melatonin bioavailability to the body. Sublingual and oral spray delivery may result in greater melatonin bioavailability due to less first-pass metabolism.
 * Food sources:** There are a number of food sources that contain melatonin naturally. These foods include pineapple, bananas, oranges, oats, sweet corn, rice, tomatoes, barley, and tart cherries (Howaston, Bell, Tallent, Middleton, Mchugh, & Ellis, 2012). Below is Table 1 which provides a list of specific foods and the amount of melatonin found per 100g.





Table 1 ||
 * **Foods With Melatonin Table (ng/100g*): Melatonin, ng/100g**
 * Tart (sour) cherry juice concentrate || 17,535 ||
 * Tart (sour) cherries || 1,350 ||
 * Walnuts || 270 ||
 * Mustard seed || 191.33 ||
 * Corn || 187.80 ||
 * Rice || 149.80 ||
 * Ginger root || 142.30 ||
 * Peanuts || 116.70 ||
 * Barley grains || 87.30 ||
 * Rolled oats || 79.13 ||
 * Asparagus || 76.62 ||
 * Tomatoes || 53.95 ||
 * Fresh mint || 49.66 ||
 * Black tea || 40.50 ||
 * Underripe banana (pulp) || 31.40 ||
 * Broccoli || 26.67 ||
 * Angelica || 25.12 ||
 * Pomegranate || 21* ||
 * Strawberries || 21*** ||
 * St. John’s wort || 19.61 ||
 * Ripe banana (pulp) || 18.50 ||
 * Brussels sprouts || 16.88 ||
 * Green tea || 9.20 ||
 * Black olives || 8.94 ||
 * Green olives || 8.36 ||
 * Cucumber || 5.93 ||
 * Sunflower seeds || 4.26 ||
 * Concord grapes (skin) || 3.24 ||
 * Red grapes (pulp) || 2.27 ||
 * Red grapes (whole) || 1.94 ||
 * Concord grapes (pulp) || 1.92 ||
 * Concord grapes (whole) || 1.71 ||
 * Red grapes (skin) || 1.42 ||
 * Red wine || 1 ||
 * Red wine || 1 ||


 * dry tissue, except for tart cherries and tart cherry juice concentrate
 * average number – reported amounts were 90.7-450 ng/100g
 * average number – reported amounts were 13-29 ng/100g

It is recommended that melatonin be administered to those with signs of mild insomnia, insomnia related to major depressive disorder, jet lag, delayed sleep phase syndrome, non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, and tinnitus. Use is discouraged in patients who are taking prescribed neurologic, psychotropic, or hypnotic medications; those with autoimmune disease or hepatic impairment are also discouraged from taking this supplement.
 * RECOMMENDATIONS**

CurreCurrently, no specific maximum dosage for the recommended daily amount (RDA) has been published; however, 10mg/day is the maximum dose in both children and adults. Oral dosage for adults: 0.3 to 10 mg 30 minutes before bedtime as needed. Sublingual dosage for adults: 0.5 to 10 mg 30 minutes before bedtime as needed. Oral and sublingual dosage for children and adoslescents: 2 to 5 mg 30 minutes before bedtime.
 * USAGE:**

Puritan’s Pride Premium Super Strength Melatonin Serving size: 1 tablet Price per serving: $0.07 Amount per serving: 10mg
 * Label Recommendations of Top 5 Melatonin Brands:**

Nature Made Melatonin Serving size: 1 tablet Price per serving: $0.03 Amount per serving: 3mg

NOW Foods High Potency Melatonin Serving size: 1 tablet Price per serving: $0.06 Amount per serving: 5 mg

Just Potent Melatonin Serving size: 1 tablet Price per serving: $0.11 Amount per serving: 10mg

Natrol Melatonin Time Release Serving size: 1 tablet Price per serving: $0.07 Amount per serving: 5 mg

Consumers should be aware that substantial variablilty can occur in the potency and purity of synthetic-source melatonin products as quality control standards are not required for this supplement. Adverse reactions may include, but not limited to: abdominal pain, abnormal dreams, anxiety, confusion, depression, fluid retention, nightmares, seizures, sinus tachycardia, and vomiting (Melatonin, 2016). Special Warning: If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications, or have any medical condition, consult your doctor before use and stop immediately if any adverse reactions occur.
 * WARNING AND SIDE EFFECTS**


 * RANKINGS:**

Effectiveness: 4/5 Melatonin has shown effectiveness in athletes who travel for competition and have shown signs of jet lag (Samuels, 2012). Recovery and production in sports performance has seen to be improved with supplementation of melatonin (Leonardo-Mendonca, Martinez-Nicolas, de Teresa Galvan, Ocana-Wilhelmi, Rusanova, Guerra-Hernandez, & Acuna-Castroviejo, 2015). Studies have also shown effectivenss in those with mild signs of mild insomnia, depression, and other various neurological disabilities (Ackerman et al., 2013).

Ease of Use:5/5 Melatonin can be supplemented either orally, intravenously, or through food (Melatonin, 2016; Immune Health Science, 2017).

Cost: 5/5 Given the serving size and the amount of tablets one can recieve in a bottle, melatonin is a relatively cheap supplement. Looking at the top five brands of melatonin, the cost per tablet ranges from $0.03 to $0.11 [see table **Label Recomendations]**

Safety: 4/5 More research needs to be done on the dose of melatonin. However, studies have shown melatonin is a safe supplement to take if no more than 10 mg.

Total: 13 /15

Ackermann, K., Plomp, R., Lao, O., Middleton, B., Revell, V. L., Skene, D. J., & Kayser, M. (2013). Effect of sleep deprivation on rhythms of clock gene expression and melatonin in humans. Chronobiology International: The Journal Of Biological & Medical Rhythm Research, 30(7), 901-909.
 * REFERENCES:**

Drug Monograph: Melatonin. (2016). Retrieved from [|https://www-clinicalkey-com.pioproxy.carrollu.edu/#!/content/drug_monograph/6-s2.0] 2220?scrollTo=%23AdverseReactions

Forbes-Robertson, S., Dudley, E., Vadgama, P., Cook, C., Drawer, S., & Kilduff, L. (2012). Circadian Disruption and Remedial Interventions: Effects and Interventions for Jet Lag for Athletic Peak Performance. Sports Medicine, 42(3), 185-208.

Howatson, G., Bell, P., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., Mchugh, M., & Ellis, J. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal Of Nutrition, 51(8), 909-916.

Immune Health Science. (2017). //Foods with melatonin table// [Table]. Retrieved from http://www.immunehealthscience.com/foods-with-melatonin.html

Leonardo-Mendonca, R. C., Martinez-Nicolas, A., de Teresa Galvan, C., Ocana-Wilhelmi, J., Rusanova, I., Guerra-Hernandez, E., & Acuna-Castroviejo, D. (2015). The benefits of four weeks of melatonin treatment on circadian patterns in resistance-trained athletes. //Chronobiology International: The Journal of Biological & Medical Rhythm Research, 32// (8),1125-1134.

Samuels, C. H. (2012). Jet lag and travel fatigue: A comprehensive management plan for sport medicine physicians and high-performance support teams. //Clinical Journal Of Sport Medicine, ////22 // (3), 268-273).0

Totoro, J. (2017). NSF certified for sport: Results for Thorne research melatonin-3. Retrieved from http://www.nsfsport.com/listings/certified_detail.asp?id=992981