| Facts About Melatonin
For people over age 40, melatonin may be the most effective overall disease-preventing agent available, and it is very inexpensive. Hundreds of studies have shown that melatonin reduces the risk of numerous degenerative diseases, boosts immune function, inhibits cancer cell proliferation and slows aging. Melatonin is the most effective antioxidant studied because it easily penetrates cell membranes (especially in the brain) to provide protection against free radicals. Melatonin appears to protect the central nervous system against injury, disease and aging better than any other substance.
Melatonin has been shown to be completely safe in daily doses of up to 1,000 mg. The most common side effect of taking too much Melatonin is feeling drowsy when you wake up, but this can be prevented by taking a smaller amount the next night.
Many people take 3 mg of melatonin each night to sleep better. If you are older than 40 and generally sleep well, we suggest taking only a 500 mcg capsule of melatonin at bedtime. If you are over 50, you may consider taking higher doses of melatonin.
Caution: High doses of melatonin are being used in Europe as a birth control pill. If you are pregnant or seeking to become pregnant do not take melatonin. Melatonin boosts production of immune system cells throughout the body. This is extremely important for people over 40 who will suffer a progressive decline in immune function as they age. If you have an immune system cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma, you may not want to take melatonin until more is known about melatonin's effects on these type of cancer. Melatonin may relieve may forms of depression. If taking melatonin makes you feel more depressed stop taking it.
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