![]() ![]() A review found melatonin to be very effective at decreasing jet lag from eastward flights crossing five or more time zones. The majority of trials have investigated the use of melatonin for jet lag.May be used for several other conditions (such as fibromyalgia).May improve sleep problems in children with autism, Asperger syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder.It is an antioxidant and is thought to have numerous other properties (such as boosting the immune system and treating headaches). Melatonin may be used to treat jet lag, sleep disorders in the blind, shift-work sleep disorders, and general insomnia.Melatonin is classed as a supplement which means it is available without a prescription from pharmacies, nutrition stores, and other retail outlets.It may be called a hormone, a supplement, a miscellaneous hypnotic, or a nutraceutical. ![]() Melatonin taken as a supplement mimics the effects of naturally occurring melatonin.Most melatonin that is available as a supplement is a synthetic version of naturally occurring melatonin. Natural melatonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan and released into the blood and cerebrospinal fluid where it works by acting on receptors in the brain and other areas of the body.Secretion of melatonin in humans starts around 9 pm and peaks between 2 and 4 am with the duration of melatonin production varying from season to season. Environmental light inhibits the secretion of melatonin, and darkness stimulates the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland that our body secretes in response to darkness to help maintain our sleep-wake cycle.It is also reported to have a range of other actions in the body. Melatonin is a supplement that may be used to aid sleep and help decrease jet lag.Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. ![]()
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