March 25, 2021 general

This blog is a continuation of last week’s about the Healthy by Nature Show March 13, 2021, when investigative health journalist, Jeff T Bowles, discussed his book, Extreme Dose! Melatonin The Miracle Anti-Aging Hormone Anti-Alzheimer’s Hormone Anti-Baldness Hormone Menopause Reversal Hormone. I recommend listening to the interview because this blog just hits the high spots. I did double check and reinforced these points with information that I received from Russell Reiter, PHD a professor in the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Immune function and covid-19. Melatonin has been known to rejuvenate the thymus gland in animals. (Zinc is also needed.) The thymus makes immune cells such as the ‘killer T cells’.  Check out this powerful medical journal article, Melatonin potentials against viral infections including COVID-19: Current evidence and new findings.

Cancer. Cancer is often associated with reduced melatonin levels. Here is an important journal article: Melatonin, a Full Service Anti-Cancer Agent: Inhibition of Initiation, Progression and Metastasis Melatonin also prevents chemo resistance and resistance to tamoxifen. Apparently, cancer grows in the daytime, not at night when melatonin is high. Therefore, keeping patient rooms dark at night seems important. For breast cancer Dr. Reiter says to take a minimum of 10 mg. whereas Jeff recommends taking 100 mg. of melatonin a day.

Alzheimer’s. Here is an encouraging medical journal article,Mechanisms of Melatonin in Alleviating Alzheimer’s Disease

Blood Pressure. There seems to be a growing interest in melatonin for helping reduce high blood pressure. Read more.Be cautious if blood pressure comes down a bit too far, you may briefly get dizzy.

Melatonin safety. According to this research article, “No studies have indicated that exogenous [supplemental] melatonin should induce any serious adverse effects.” It also said, “even in extreme doses…only mild adverse effects, such as dizziness, headache, nausea and sleepiness have been reported.” Jeff said that when he started taking 100 mg the first few nights, he described his sleep as “uncomfortable” but within a week, he slept like a baby. After 2 or 3  months, his thinning hair started to fill in. (He thinks that is because melatonin boosts progesterone which is like the hair growing drugs.) The National Institute of Health says “As with all dietary supplements, people who are taking medicine should consult their health care providers before using melatonin. In particular, people with epilepsy and those taking blood thinner medications need to be under medical supervision when taking melatonin. 

My parting thought. There must be a good reason that all animals and even plants have melatonin. Read Jeff’s article Amazing! Melatonin Secrets That Almost Nobody Knows About! It is understandable that melatonin may have a life extension effect and it likely provides a great many more benefits because it works in such fundamental ways:

• as an antioxidant
• anti-inflammatory
• as support for our cells’ mitochondria [powerhouses]
• in balancing hormones
• in regulating the body’s natural rhythms
• and, of course, improving sleep

Jeff’s answers to questions that came up after the show:

• Jeff said “I think the menopause reversal effect came from women taking just 6 mg of melatonin at night.  I just realized if melatonin is the famine survival hormone at high doses, that slows/reverses aging and acts as birth control. If women take 75 mg a night during their reproductive years it will probably delay the time/age that menopause occurs!!  Maybe dramatically. That is my prediction.”
• Regarding sleep. “Vitamin D3 and magnesium affect sleep…magnesium deficiency is a major cause of insomnia.”
• He thinks “the Alzheimer’s progression I mentioned was stopped in the one Brazilian twin with 10 mg of melatonin a night.”
• Jeff says that “smaller amounts might work but I think that the healthiest thing to stop/reverse aging would be to take the birth control amount of 75+ mg a night for women and 100+ mg a night for men (higher for men just to adjust for weight).”
• Safety? The National Institute of Health says “As with all dietary supplements, people who are taking medicine should consult their health care providers before using melatonin. In particular, people with epilepsy and those taking blood thinner medications need to be under medical supervision when taking melatonin. supplements.” Later they also said, “There’s been a lack of research on the safety of melatonin use in pregnant or breastfeeding women.”
• Some readers have asked about recommended brands of melatonin. I don’t have any favorites, but here is an example of a 10 mg type that I bought. It is a much higher dose than the commonly available 3 mg. Mr. Bowles says that high dosages of nutrients are available in powder form at https://www.vitaspace.com/