Does melatonin really work?

By Mike Ventresca, Vital Choice Healthstore

Odds are you’ve heard of melatonin—the hormone produced by the body that helps regulate the sleep cycle and promote restful sleep. What you probably haven’t heard is melatonin may not be a hormone at all. Many are likely deficient, and it appears to do far more than promote sleep.

Unlike all other hormones that are exclusively produced by a gland in the body, melatonin is produced in the brain, but is also found in a variety of foods, including tart cherries, nuts, corn, and bananas.

Another misconception is melatonin makes you sleepy. Melatonin is not a sedative. It’s produced by the brain at night and prepares the body for sleep, but only during darkness. Glance at your phone, watch TV, or have your lights on, and your brain won’t make it. This is why some researchers believe we are deficient; the modern world doesn’t allow the body enough time in darkness.

This is critical because melatonin does so much more than help us sleep. Roughly 18,000 studies on melatonin for non-sleep-related issues demonstrate its ability to produce and activate powerful immune cells, disrupt viral replication, and even suppress many forms of malignances including breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

Because of this, I now take melatonin nightly to improve my sleep quality in addition to supporting healthy immune function. Two options I like are Vital Choice’s delayed-release Melatonin and Terry Naturally’s Melatonin EP120. I take roughly 5mg sustained release about an hour before bed. For more information, or to browse our options, stop in today.

Mike Ventresca is the owner of Vital Choice Health Store, 9243 W. Sprague Road in North Royalton’s Timber Ridge Plaza. Call 440-885-9505 or visit VChoice.com. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.