Melatonin Benefits You May Have Not Known
In addition to it’s well known indication as a sleep aid, Melatonin, has a very important role in mitochondrial health and anti-aging. Mitochondria are known as the “powerhouse” of the cell and are responsible for the production of energy (ATP) that fuels and powers the human body. When our levels of cellular ATP decline, you feel fatigued, have poor recovery from physical and mentally challenging events and feel the “effects” of aging.
Earlier this year, researchers discovered that melatonin plays a very important role in keeping our mitochondria healthy and functioning as designed. Melatonin can help protect our mitochondria by making the mitochondria disease resistant and slowing down the aging process.
So how does this work? Well, in the 2017 study, researchers discovered that melatonin boosts production of an enzyme called CNPase. This enzyme’s activity is necessary for optimal mitochondrial function and energy production (ATP production). When we age, the production of this enzyme slows down drastically and cellular dysfunction, energy decline and dis-ease begin.
Supplemental delivery of melatonin, along with good sleep hygiene and stress management can go a long way to slow down aging and stave off things like metabolic disturbances like diabetes and obesity. By this same mechanism, melatonin can slow or even halt neurodegenerative changes in the brain; help maintain skeletal muscle integrity; protect the heart during and after a heart attack; reverse the effects of damage from fatty liver and help maintain healthy cellular function of the liver, modulate inflammation and help with cancer treatments.