Reset your internal clock for restful sleep
If the body has a master hormone, melatonin may be it. The pineal gland, located in the brain, produces melatonin on a daily schedule. Most melatonin is secreted at night, less in the daytime. This hormone regulates the sleep-wake cycle, as well as the eating cycle and the production of other hormones. Some plants contain melatonin, including several herbs used in Chinese medicine. Melatonin is well known as a beneficial agent for jet lag and general sleep disturbances, sometimes called delayed sleep phase syndrome. Older people are especially at risk. Approximately 30 percent of people over the age of 50 exhibit insomnia to a greater or lesser degree. However, doses of melatonin as small as 0.3 mg taken at bedtime improves sleep quality. Melatonin provides numerous benefits for both healthy individuals and patients with specific medical conditions. Melatonin production decreases dramatically and predictably with age.

Melatonin has been used in the treatment of serious illnesses such as cancer, conditions requiring surgery, schizophrenia with tardive dyskinesia, and blindness with circadian rhythmic disturbances. In addition, daytime sleepiness caused by nighttime sleep disturbances is the greatest identifiable cause of accidents in all modes of transportation.

Schizophrenics also benefit from melatonin. The drugs used to treat schizophrenia may cause tardive dyskinesia, a disabling movement defect. Up to 50 percent of patients hospitalized with schizophrenia suffer from this problem. Tardive dyskinesia is believed to be caused by increased sensitivity of dopamine receptors, plus neurotoxicity caused by oxidative stress. Melatonin has been shown to effectively alleviate these patients symptoms. Researchers in Israel showed that 10mg per day of melatonin for 6 weeks significantly improved movement control of tardive dyskinesia patients. They attributed these benefits to melatonins antioxidant effects. Melatonin also tends to normalize dopamine release in schizophrenic patients.

Aging commonly causes an increase in abdominal fat, plasma insulin, and lipids such as cholesterol. Researchers at the University of Washington showed that melatonin supplements in elderly rats could prevent or even reverse these effects of aging. The melatonin-treated rats also returned to youthful behaviour patterns, including response to novelty. In one animal model, melatonin supplements increased the lifespan. Older people are more susceptible to death from infection. Melatonin deficiency is related to decreased immune system function. One study showed that melatonin can rejuvenate the degenerative thymus (part of the immune system) in aging animals.

One important mechanism for melatonins anti-aging effects is its role as an antioxidant. Many researchers believe that antioxidants can prevent and delay the onset of chronic degenerative diseases, and possibly extend the lifespan. Unlike other antioxidants, melatonin reacts with oxidative molecules to produce other molecules which are also antioxidants. This phenomenon is called the free radical scavenging cascade reaction of melatonin. Because of this cascade, one melatonin molecule has the potential to neutralize approximately four reactive oxygenating species. This indicates that melatonin is several times more potent than Vitamin C or Vitamin E as an antioxidant.

Melatonin is an important hormone that declines with age. People over 50 benefit most from supplemental melatonin, but there are numerous uses for melatonin in people of all ages. The benefits of melatonin include:

Sleep regulation for jet lag, shift work, or general insomnia

Regulation of other hormone cycles

Anti-aging and antioxidant protection

Enhancement of immune function

Better recovery from surgery

Enhancement of cancer therapies

Potential treatment of other diseases, such as tardive dyskinesia and migraine headache
Because of its safety and numerous benefits on health and lifespan, melatonin may be one of the most effective anti-aging substances currently available.


Dosage:
.75 mg up to 10mg, 30 to 60 minutes before retiring. For jet lag, take 30 minutes to 1 hour before you want to go to sleep either before entering a new time zone, or upon returning to your regular time zone.

Product Specifications (3mg):
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Amount Per Serving
Melatonin	3mg	*
*Daily Value not established
Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (vegetarian capsule) and magnesium stearate. Contains no added sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, corn, coloring, dairy products, flavoring or preservatives. Keep container tightly closed in a cool, dry and dark place. Keep out of reach of children.

Product Specifications (750mcg):
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Amount Per Serving
Melatonin	750mcg	*
*Daily Value not established
Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (vegetarian capsule). Contains no added sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, corn, coloring, dairy products, flavoring or preservatives. Keep container tightly closed in a cool, dry and dark place. Keep out of reach of children.

Product Specifications (10mg):
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Amount Per Serving
Melatonin	10mg	*
*Daily Value not established
Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (vegetarian capsule) and magnesium stearate. Contains no added sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, corn, coloring, dairy products, flavoring or preservatives. Keep container tightly closed in a cool, dry and dark place. Keep out of reach of children.

Quantity:	Price: 60 caps (3mg) £14.83 120 caps (750mcg) £16.40 60 caps (10mg) £22.81