What is Melatonin Hormone? What does the supplement do? What is it good for or used for?

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone found in animals and in some other living organisms, such as algae. Melatonin is chemically known as N-acetyl-5-ethoxytryptamine, and its circulating levels vary in a daily cycle.

The hormone plays a vital role in regulating the circadian rhythms of several biological functions. Many biological effects of melatonin are produced through activation of melatonin receptors, while others are due to its role as a pervasive and powerful antioxidant with a particular role in the protection of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.

Melatonin is produced by pinealocytes in the pineal gland, which is located in the brain, but outside of the blood-brain barrier, and also by the retina, lens, GI tract and other tissues in higher animals including humans. The largest organ in humans to biosynthesize melatonin is the skin.


Production of melatonin by the pineal gland is under the influence of the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus, which receives information from the retina about the daily pattern of light and darkness. Both SCN rhythmicity and melatonin production are affected by non-image-forming light information traveling through the recently-identified Retinohypothalamic Tract (RHT).

Melatonin can also be produced by a variety of peripheral cells such as bone marrow cells, lymphocytes, and epithelial cells. Generally, the melatonin concentration in these cells is much higher than that found in the blood but it does not seem to be regulated by the photoperiod.

This is to say No Melatonin ….No Sleep. Melatonin is so powerful and useful to your body that it serves other purposes apart from regulating your sleep patterns. In the human body melatonin also serves as an antidepressant, immunoregulator, antioxidant, anti aging agent, and a sexual dysfunction regulator. Melatonin is also synthesized by various plants, such as rice, and ingested melatonin has been shown to be capable of reaching and binding to melatonin binding sites in the brains of mammals.

In animals and humans the profile of melatonin synthesis and secretion is affected by the variable duration of night in summer as compared to winter. The change in duration of secretion thus serves as a biological signal for the organization of day length-dependent (photoperiodic) seasonal functions such as reproduction, behavior, coat growth, and camouflage coloring in seasonal animals.

Melatonin also affects the release of female reproductive hormones and regulates the menstrual cycle.


Some individuals have sleep problems because their body cannot produce enough melatonin. Scientist developed synthetic melatonin supplements to aid sleep. Melatonin Supplements can also be used to cure jet lag.


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