Melatonin News and Research

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Melatonin, also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring compound found in animals, plants, and microbes. In animals, circulating levels of the hormone melatonin vary in a daily cycle, thereby allowing the entrainment of the circadian rhythms of several biological functions.

Vegetarian diet linked to lower risk of insomnia, study suggests

Study reveals that following a vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of insomnia, particularly in men, potentially due to higher intakes of healthful plant-based foods and lower consumption of animal products.

12 Dec 2023

Science says teens need more sleep. So why is it so hard to start school later?

High school classes start so early around this city that some kids get on buses at 5:30 in the morning.

6 Nov 2023

Study links long COVID to gut inflammation and serotonin deficiency

Patients with long COVID – the long-term symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, or memory loss in the months or years following COVID-19 – can exhibit a reduction in circulating levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, according to new research published today in Cell.

16 Oct 2023

Gut health and leukemia: Exploring the crucial connection between diet and microbiota changes

Gut microbiota's role in leukemia treatment responses is explored, with evidence suggesting diet and prebiotics may help manage microbiota alterations in patients. Diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and gut microbiota composition all intersect, potentially influencing leukemia risks and treatment outcomes.

8 Oct 2023

Parkinson's disease-related neuronal death more likely to occur at night

Disturbances in sleep patterns and the internal biological clock are frequently associated with Parkinson's disease.

29 Sep 2023

New research reveals how social isolation impacts behavior and lifespan in social species

Researchers used Camponotus fellah (carpenter ants) as a model species to perform behavioral tracking and ribonucleic acid-sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the transcriptome-level differences between socially isolated workers versus workers in groups.

29 Sep 2023

Could reducing light exposure help you sleep better and improve your mental health during pregnancy?

Higher light exposure at night and poor sleep quality are associated with poorer mental health outcomes.

20 Sep 2023

Flash therapy may offer a practical option to delay the circadian clock in shift workers and jet travelers

Researchers examined whether flash therapy, given during sleep, changed the sleep architecture to shift the human circadian clock.

6 Sep 2023

Research reveals 71% of men in the UK are struggling to sleep through the night

New research, from men’s healthcare company Numan, suggests there is a sleep crisis among UK men with 71% of men surveyed struggling to sleep through the night.

4 Sep 2023

Review explores relationship between sleep disorders and pregnancy

A recent review summarizes what is known about these conditions and suggests future research directions and opportunities.

23 Aug 2023

Melatonin enhances long-term memory by modulating protein phosphorylation

Multiple studies have demonstrated the memory-enhancing effects of melatonin and its derivatives in animal models. It is also known that the formation of both short- and long-term memories require the phosphorylation of certain memory-related proteins.

21 Aug 2023

Are mushrooms an effective early dietary intervention for Alzheimer’s Disease?

In a study published in the journal Foods, researchers reviewed available literature on the potential anti-Alzheimer's disease properties of mushrooms.

9 Aug 2023

The effects of oxidative stress on women’s fertility

Scientists review existing literature to assess the relationship between oxidative stress and female infertility.

1 Aug 2023

How shift work and other types of unconventional work affects the gut microbiome

Researchers review different studies analyzing the impact of unconventional work on worker’s health and gut microbiota.

13 Jul 2023

Season and sunshine hours may affect live birth rates after IVF

The time of year when eggs are collected from women's ovaries during fertility treatment makes a difference to live birth rates, according to new research published today (Thursday) in Human Reproduction, one of the world's leading reproductive medicine journals.

5 Jul 2023

New regulatory system discovered in malaria parasite

Gene expression within the apicoplast, an organelle in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is regulated by melatonin (the circadian signaling hormone) in host blood, and intrinsic parasite cues, via a factor called ApSigma, as identified by a recent study aided by Tokyo Tech's World Research Hub Initiative.

3 Jul 2023

Caffeine found to be most effective for treating birth asphyxia

Brain damage caused by oxygen deficiency at birth is one of the main causes of death in newborns worldwide. Using a small animal model, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and DZNE tested treatment with 25 different active agents.

3 Jul 2023

Unlocking the potential of melatonin: A promising epigenetic weapon against cancer

Melatonin, a hormone derived from the pineal gland, has diverse effects on cellular processes. This review explores its potential role as an epigenetic regulator, particularly in modulating DNA methylation, and suggests its use in combination therapy as a novel anticancer strategy.

30 May 2023

Hypnotic drug class may not have increased the risk of exacerbations and death among COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients newly prescribed non-benzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonists (NBZRAs) such as zolpidem (Ambien, Intermezzo and other brands), a class of hypnotic drugs prescribed for insomnia, did not have an increased risk of exacerbations requiring hospitalizations or of death than those prescribed other types of hypnotics, according to research published at the ATS 2023 International Conference.

24 May 2023

Sleep disorders and unhealthy diet: A deadly combination

Research demonstrates that poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MED) and the presence of sleep disorders synergistically increase the risk of long-term all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The findings emphasize the importance of both diet and sleep quality in overall health outcomes.

21 May 2023